Refining Water Best Practices

Petroleum refining
water/wastewater
use and management
Operations
Best Practice
Series
2010
www.ipieca.org
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Petroleum refining
water/wastewater
use and management
IPIECA Operations Best Practice Series
This document was prepared by AECOM, Inc. on behalf of the IPIECA Refinery Water Management Task Force.
The assistance of M. Venkatesh of ENSRAECOM is gratefully acknowledged.
Cover photographs reproduced courtesy of the following (clockwise from top left): ExxonMobil; Nexen; Photodisc Inc.;
iStockphoto; Corbis; Shutterstock.com.
IPIECA
Contents
Introduction
Refinery water overview
Overall refinery water balance
Sources of water
Water leaving the refinery
Raw water treatment:

Use of raw water in refineries
25
Wastewater segregation
27
Primary treatment
28
Secondary oil/water separation
29
Sour water
11
Tank bottom draws
13
Spent caustic
14
16
18
18
Boiler blowdown
18
Steam generator blowdown
18
Unrecovered condensate
18
Condensate blowdownbest practices
20
Equalization system
Location of the equalization system
Secondary treatment
30
31
31
Suspended growth processes
31
Attached growth processes
35
Tertiary treatment
38
Sand filtration
38
Activated carbon
38
Chemical oxidation
39
Treatment of sludges
40
API separator bottom sludge
40
DGF/IGF float and sludge
40
Waste biological sludge
41
20
Recycle and reuse issues
42
Raw water treatmentbest practices
20
Re-use of non-contaminated stormwater
43
Miscellaneous dischargesbest practices
20
Fire water
43
21
Cooling tower makeup water
43
21
Utility water
43
Boiler feedwater makeup
43
Raw water treatment
Miscellaneous dischargesminimization
Laboratory wastewater
Spent/unused hydrocarbons samples
best practices
21
Spent/unused wastewater samples

best practices
21
Discharges from laboratory sinks

best practices
Discharges from bottle washing systems
best practices
Stormwater and sewerage

Stormwater segregation and management
Technologies for upgrade of refinery wastewater
43
Basic media/sand filtration
44
Microfiltration or ultrafiltration
45
21
Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, with

reverse osmosis
47
21

nanofiltration
48
22
Ion exchange
48
22
Technology summaryrefinery wastewater reuse
50
Reuse of municipal wastewater
50
Contaminated stormwater
22
Non-contaminated stormwater
23
Media filtration
51
24
51
Sewerage management
ii
Desalter effluent treatment
28
Condensate blowdown
25
Process water
Cooling tower blowdownbest practices
Process wastewater pretreatment
First stage: separation

(oil/water separators, API separators)
Cooling water
25
Wastewater
Desalter effluent
Effluent treatment
PETROLEUM REFINING WATER/WASTEWATER USE AND MANAGEMENT
Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, plus

reverse osmosis
52

nanofiltration
Figure 11
Typical refinery wastewater treatment
25
Figure 12
Desalter oil/water separation
26
53
Figure 13
Desalter effluent stripper
26
Ion exchange
53
Figure 14
Segregated wastewater treatment
27
Zero liquid discharge
53
Figure 15
API separator
28
References
55
Figure 16
Dissolved air flotation

a typical DAF unit
29
Figure 17
Induced air flotation (IAF) unit
30
Figure 18
Activated sludge system
32
Figure 19
The PACT (Powdered Activated

Carbon Treatment) system
33
Figure 20
Sequencing batch reactor system
34
Figure 21
Membrane bioreactor system
34
Figure 22
Aerated lagoon system
35
Figure 23
Trickling filters
36
Figure 24
Rotating biological contractor system
36
Figure 25
Nitrification/denitrification system
37
Figure 26
Sand filtration
38
Figure 27
Activated carbon system
39
List of Tables
Table 1
Typical sources of water
Table 2
Contaminants in raw water
Table 3
Sources of wash water
Table 4
Desalter effluent contaminants
10
Table 5
Sour water producers
12
Table 6
Stripped sour water contaminants
12
Table 7
Crude tank bottom sediment and

water contaminants
14
Table 8
Intermediate product stream

caustic treated
14
Figure 28
Chemical oxidation system
39
Table 9
Cooling tower blowdowncontaminants
18
Figure 29
API sludge treatment system
40
Table 10
Contaminant specification for reuse water
42
Figure 30
DGF/IGF float treatment
41
Table 11
Refinery wastewater reusesummary
50
Figure 31
Biological sludge treatment
41
Figure 32
Contaminant removal for different

types of filtration processes
44
Figure 33
Media filtration
45
Figure 34
46
Figure 35
Microfiltration or ultrafiltration,
with reverse osmosis
47
Microfiltration or ultrafiltration,
with nanofiltration
48
List of Figures
Figure 1
Refinery water balance
Figure 2
Typical desalter configuration
Figure 3
Sour water stripper configuration
11
Figure 4
Crude tank water draw
13
Figure 5
Typical distillation system
16
Figure 37
Ion exchange treatment
49
Figure 6
Once-through cooling water system
17
Figure 38
Media filtration
51
Figure 7
Closed loop cooling system
18
Figure 39
Microfiltration/ultrafiltration
52
Figure 8
Evaporative cooling water system
19
Figure 40
Figure 9
Boiler blowdowntypical
19
Microfiltration/ultrafiltration, plus
reverse osmosis
52
Figure 10
Steam generator blowdowntypical
19
Microfiltration/ultrafiltration, plus
nanofiltration
53
53
Figure 36
Figure 41
Figure 42
IPIECA
Introduction
This manual describes typical best practices and
management in a refinery. Since each refinery is
strategies used in petroleum refineries to manage
uniquely configured, some of these practices may or
water, including ways to reduce water usage.
may not be applicable based on the complexity of
Improved water management in a petroleum
the refining operations, type of wastewater
refinery can potentially reduce the volume and cost
treatment operations available at a particular site,
of raw water used in refinery operations.
availability of raw water sources, discharge
Furthermore, improved water management may
configuration and type of receiving water body. This
result in reductions in wastewater flow or
manual will enable a refiner to compare their
contaminant load or both. Lower flow and
operations with typical industry practices and
contaminant load may result in lower wastewater
develop a plan for optimizing water management in
treatment operating and maintenance costs.
the refinery.
Optimized water management may also reduce the
mass of contaminants in the treated effluent, thus
The manual is organized as follows:
improving the quality of a wastewater discharge
Introduction
and ultimately the environmental impact of a
refinerys discharge.
Wastewater
These practices are a collection of operational,
Effluent treatment
equipment and procedural actions related to water

Petroleum refineries are complex systems of multiple
tower evaporation and drift. A smaller amount of
operations that depend on the type of crude refined
water can also leave with the products. Certain
and the desired products. For these reasons, no two
processes require a continuous make-up of water to
refineries are alike. Depending on the size, crude,
the operation such as steam generating systems or
products and complexity of operations, a petroleum
cooling water systems. Understanding water
refinery can be a large consumer of water, relative
balance for a refinery is a key step towards
to other industries and users in a given region.
optimizing water usage, recycle and reuse as well
Within a refinery, the water network is as unique to
as optimizing performance of water and wastewater
the refinery as its processes. This section describes
treatment systems.
the typical sources of water supplied to a refinery

and the typical discharges of water from a refinery.
Figure 1 shows a typical example of the water
It also provides an overview of the types of
balance in a refinery.
contaminants contained in the raw water and the

methods used to remove these contaminants.
Overall refinery water balance

Many of the processes in a petroleum refinery use
water, however, not each process needs raw or
treated water, and water can be cascaded or reused
in many places. A large portion of the water used
in a petroleum refinery can be continually recycled
with in a refinery. There are losses to the
atmosphere, including steam losses and cooling
Sources of water
Surface water
Water to the refinery can be supplied from various
surface-water sources such as rivers or lakes. In some
cases it may also be supplied from the sea or from
other brackish water sources. Additional supply of
water can come from groundwater located in
aquifers, if the subsurface water is available and
accessible. Typical characteristics of raw water can
include varying amounts of solids and/or salts, also
referred to as total suspended solids (TSS), total
dissolved solids (TDS) and turbidity. Each water body
Figure 1 Refinery water balance

A schematic
example of the
typical water
balance in a
refinery
IPIECA
Table 1 Typical sources of water

Typical characteristics
Source
Lake
Suspended solids, dissolved solids (metals), turbidity
River
Suspended solids (with seasonal variation), dissolved solids (metals), turbidity
Groundwater (wells)
Suspended solids, dissolved solids (metals), dissolved organics
Sea water
Suspended solids, dissolved solids (metals, chlorides)
and aquifer has a unique quality associated with it
areas or administrative housing, may be discharged
and may require treatment before use in a refinery.
without treatment depending on local regulations.
The level of pretreatment required for source water
Stormwater harvesting can be a technique that is
before it is used in the refinery is dependent on the
employed to capture uncontaminated stormwater.
uses of the water in the refinery and what level of
With proper storage and or treatment (if needed)
solids and salts is compatible with the process.
this stormwater can be used for certain processes

such as equipment washing.
Table 1 shows the types of water sources and typical

characteristics of the water from each source.
Purchased water
Water can also be supplied from a municipality.
Municipalities generally can offer potable water
(drinking water) but may also be able to offer a
treated effluent for industrial use or reuse. Potable
water (drinking water and sanitary water) required
by a refinery is frequently purchased from a local
municipality. If available, potable water may also
come from groundwater aquifers or alternative
sources.
Water in crude
When crude arrives at a refinery, it often carries
entrained water that remains from the oil well
extraction process and/or pickup during
transshipment. The water is typically removed as
storage tank bottom sediment and water (BS&W) or
in the desalter which is part of the crude unit in the
refinery, and is typically sent to wastewater treatment.
Rain
Another source of water for a refinery is rain. Rain
that falls within the refinery battery limits is typically
treated before discharge. Rain that falls in nonindustrial areas of a refinery, e.g. parking lots, green
4
Water leaving the refinery

The water that leaves refineries is indicated in
Figure 1 and described briefly below.
Wastewater
Refineries can generate a significant amount of
wastewater that has been in contact with
hydrocarbons. Wastewater can also include water
rejected from boiler feedwater pretreatment processes
(or generated during regenerations). Wastewater can
also refer to cooling tower blowdown stream, or even
once-through cooling water that leaves the refinery.
Once-through cooling water typically does not
receive any treatment before discharge. Cooling
tower blowdown water and wastewater from raw
water treating may or may not receive treatment at
the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) before
discharge. Contaminated wastewater is typically
sent to either a wastewater treatment plant that is
located at the facility, or it can be pretreated and
sent to the local publicly owned treatment works or
third-party treatment facility for further treatment.
Water that has not been in direct contact with
hydrocarbons or which has only minimal
contamination can be a source for reuse and is
discussed in the section on Recycle and reuse
issues, beginning on page 42 of this document.
Water having a high mineral content is generally
Wastewater can sometimes also be reused after
referred to as hard water and has a tendency to
passing through the wastewater treatment plant,
form scale. Calcium salts are deposited as scale when
sometimes requiring additional treatment to remove
water is heated causing a decrease in heat transfer
suspended solids and other contaminants.
rates in heat exchangers (heaters and coolers). Both

calcium and magnesium salts form scale upon
Steam losses
Low pressure steam that is produced in the refinery
is vented to the atmosphere when it is in excess.
Other sources include tracing steam that is vented at
some locations in the refinery. Proper monitoring of
the steam system in the refinery will help minimize
the production of excess steam and minimize/
eliminate the need for venting. Any expected losses
should be considered when reviewing the water
balance in a refinery.
evaporation of water in steam-generating equipment.

These deposits not only reduce heat transfer rates but
also restrict fluid flow. Removal of calcium and
magnesium from water is referred to as softening,
and the treatments commonly used include lime-soda,
phosphates, ion exchange and reverse osmosis. Other
contaminants that could be present in raw water
and their removal methods are shown in Table 2.
Use of raw water in refineries
Cooling tower losses

As water is cooled in the tower by evaporation, this
results in a loss of water in the refinery. Some of the
water in the cooling tower is entrained by the large
quantities of air passing through the tower and are
lost to the atmosphere. These entrainment losses are
also referred to as cooling tower drift. Any expected
losses from cooling towers should be considered
when reviewing the water balance in a refinery. In
some cases once-through cooling water is used in
the refinery (see overleaf, and page 17).
The required degree of water purity depends on the
Water in product
There is some water that leaves with some of the
products in the refinery although this is a very small
amount because it is limited by product quality
specifications.
Process water
In refineries, water is typically used for various
purposes where the water is closely contacted with
the hydrocarbons. Softened water is usually used for
these purposes.
Raw water treatment

Source water for a refinery typically needs to be
treated before being used in different processes. The
type of treatment depends on the quality of the
source water and its ultimate use in the refinery.
Turbidity, sediments and hardness are examples of
source water constituents that may require treatment.
particular use. Preliminary treatment of all raw

water entering a plant may include screening and
sedimentation to remove suspended solids, but
subsequent treatment will depend on the ultimate
use for each water system. A typical plant water
supply might be separated into process, boiler feed,
cooling, potable, fire water and utility water systems.
Brief descriptions of the different water uses in
refineries are given below.
Boiler feedwater
The boiler feedwater (BFW) required for the
generation of steam in a refinery needs to be
treated prior to use. The higher the steam pressure
being generated, the higher the purity of the BFW
required. Ordinarily water is treated by the limesoda process and further purified by ion exchange
or by hot phosphate treatment in order to produce
boiler feedwater. Reverse osmosis can also be used
to soften the water.
5
IPIECA
Typically, a purge stream is removed from the water
temperature increase below the point where the
purification systems in order to prevent the buildup
calcium salts begin to precipitate.
of contaminants. This purge stream is sent to

wastewater treatment and is replaced by fresh
makeup water.
Cooling water
Water-cooled condensers, product coolers (heat
exchangers) and other heat exchangers can use a
large amount of water in a refinery. Some refineries
use air coolers, where the process stream is
exchanged with air prior the being sent to a cooling
water heat exchanger. This will minimize the use of
cooling water in the refinery.
Some refineries use a once-through system where
Potable water
Potable water is required for use in kitchens, wash
areas and bathrooms in refineries as well as in
safety showers/eyewash stations. City water or
treated groundwater can be used for this purpose.
In remote locations or in small towns a portion of
the treated water from the plant softening unit may
be diverted for potable water use. The treated water
must be chlorinated to destroy bacteria, and then
pumped in an independent system to prevent
potential cross-contamination. Potable quality water
may also be required in some specialist chemical
operations (e.g. as a diluent).
the incoming water is exchanged against the

process fluid and the warmer cooling water is then
returned to the source of the water. However, if
water is a scarce commodity at a particular location
it may be preferable to recirculate the water through
a cooling tower and then back to the process. In
these circulating systems water is supplied at about
Fire water
The requirements for fire water in refineries are
intermittent, but can constitute a very large flow.
Often, refineries collect stormwater from nonprocess areas and store it in a reservoir dedicated
to the fire water system in the plant.
90 F and returned to the cooling tower at a

maximum of about 120F.
Provisions are typically made for a connection (for

use in emergency situations) of the fire water system
Some water treatment is necessary even for once-
into the largest available reservoir of water. Usually
through cooling systems to prevent scale formation,
this is the raw water supply since fire water requires
corrosion, and slime and algae formation. The
no treatment. Sea water or brackish water is often
extent of treatment required for circulating systems is
used as fire water by plants located along coastal
much greater since impurities are concentrated in
areas.
the system as evaporation losses occur.
required to replace these and other losses.
Utility water
Utility water is used for miscellaneous washing
operations, such as cleaning an operating area. It
should be free from sediment but does not require
any other treatment.
Sea water has been used successfully as cooling
Table 2 shows the typical impurities in various types
water especially in coastal areas with fresh water
of water and the processes generally used to
shortages. Cathodic protection systems employing
remove them.
In cooling tower systems, a build-up of salt

concentration is unavoidable since water is
evaporated in the cooling tower. Make-up water is
magnesium anodes located in the floating head and

channel of exchangers prevent excessive corrosion.
Deposits are minimized by restricting cooling water
Table 2 Contaminants in raw water

Contaminant
Problem
Removal methods
Turbidity
Makes water cloudy and deposits in water lines and

process equipment
Coagulation, settling and filtration
Hardness
Primary source of scale formation in heat exchangers

and pipe lines
Softening, distillation, surfactants
Alkalinity
Causes foaming in steam systems and attacks boiler

steel. Bicarbonate and carbonate produce carbon
dioxide in steam which is highly corrosive
Lime and lime-soda softening, Zeolite softening,

Dealkalization by anion exchange
Sulphate
Adds to the solids content of water and combines with

calcium to form calcium sulfate scale
Demineralization, distillation
Chloride
Adds to solids content and increases the corrosive

properties of water
Demineralization, distillation, desalination (if sea

water is being used)
Silica
Scaling on heating and cooling equipment and

pipelines
Anion exchange resins, distillation
Iron and magnesium
Discolors the water and precipitates in water lines

and process equipment
Aeration, coagulation and filtration, lime softening,

cation exchange
Oil
Source of scale, sludge and foaming in boilers.

Impedes heat exchange. Undesirable in most
processes
Oil/water separators strainers. coagulation and

filtration. Diatomaceous earth filtration
Oxygen
Corrosion of water lines heat exchange equipment,

boilers, return lines, etc.
Deaeration, sodium sulphite, corrosion inhibitors
Hydrogen sulphide
Cause of rotten egg odor. Corrosion, toxicity
Aeration, chlorination, highly basic anion exchange
Conductivity
Conductivity is the result of ionizable solids in

solution. High conductivity can increase the corrosive
characteristics of a water
Processes which decrease dissolved solids content will

decrease conductivity. Examples are demineralization,
lime softening
Dissolved solids
Dissolved solids is the measure of total amount of

dissolved material. High concentrations of dissolved
solids are objectionable because of process
interference and as a cause of foaming in boilers
Various softening process, such as lime softening and

cation exchange by zeolite, will reduce dissolved
solids. Demineralization, distillation
Suspended solids
Suspended solids is the measure of undissolved

matter. Suspended solid plug lines, cause deposits in
heat exchange equipment, boilers, etc.
Sedimentation. Filtration, usually preceded by

coagulation and settling
IPIECA
Wastewater
This section describes the various sources of
oil field from where the crude is extracted. The
process water in refineries and discusses best
amount of water received at the refinery with the
practices with respect to how they are managed.
crude varies widely but an approximate range
Also included is a discussion of the wastewater
would be 0.12.0% volume.
generated from the different utility systems in the

refinery and how these systems are managed.
The salts contained in the aqueous phase are
Finally, concepts for pretreatment of wastewater
variable and range from 10 to 250 pounds per
generated in the process units are discussed.
thousand barrels (p.t.b.) of crude. The salts are

present mostly in the form of chlorides of sodium,
magnesium and calcium. Typically, the first
Process water
Process water is defined as water that has been in
intimate contact with hydrocarbons in the refinery.
Water that is generated in the process units is
represented by the following categories:
desalter effluent;
sour water;
tank bottom draws; and
spent caustic.
operation in a refinery crude unit is desalting, which

is used to wash out the salt present in the crude. The
most important reasons for removing the salts from
the crude are to:
prevent plugging and fouling of process

equipment by salt deposition; and
reduce corrosion caused by the formation of HCl

from the chloride salts during the processing of
the crude.
There are two basic types of desalters: chemical and

electrical. Refineries that use two-stage electrical
Desalter effluent
desalters can achieve a desalted crude specification
Inorganic salts are present in crude oil as an
that is used in the desalter is discharged from the
emulsified solution of salt (predominantly sodium

chloride). The source of the aqueous phase is the
naturally occurring brine that is associated with the
Figure 2 Typical desalter configuration
of 0.1 p.t.b. of salt in the crude. The wash water

unit. Figure 2 shows the typical configuration of a
two-stage desalter.
The wash water is usually injected into the second
operating pH in the desalter is 6 to 7 because the
stage of the desalter after being heated by
emulsion formation is minimized and the oil/water
exchange with the hot effluent. The water from the
separation is most effective at this pH. The pH is
second stage is sent to the first stage where it is
significantly impacted by source of the wash water
contacted with the incoming crude. The hot (about
that is used as well as corrosion considerations in
300F) brine is then discharged to the wastewater
the crude tower system.
treatment plant after being cooled. The optimum

Table 3 Sources of wash water
Source
Fresh water
Advantages
1. The water requires no or minimal pretreatment
Disadvantages
1. Increases overall water usage in the refinery
2. Increases generation of wastewater in the refinery
3. Increases capital and operating costs for
wastewater treatment
Recycled crude
tower overhead
1. Results in lower sour water stripping requirements

2. Avoids the piping required to send the crude
tower overhead to the sour water strippers
3. Minimizes fresh water use in the refinery
1. More challenging to control the pH in the

desalters due to the ammonia content of the crude
tower overhead
2. Results in more emulsion formation in the
desalters leading to the inadvertent discharge of
hydrocarbons to wastewater treatment
3. Results in the discharge of H2S from the desalter
effluent to the atmosphere in the sewers as well as
wastewater treatment if effluent does not go for
pretreatment before discharge to sewers or
Recycled vacuum
tower overhead
supplemented by
sources of water
1. Results in lower sour water stripping requirements

2. Avoids the piping required to send the crude
tower overhead to the sour water strippers
3. Minimizes fresh water use in the refinery
1. More challenging to control the pH in the

desalters due to potential ammonia content of the
vacuum tower overhead
2. Results in more emulsion formation in the
desalters leading to the inadvertent discharge of
hydrocarbons to wastewater treatment
3. Results in the discharge of H2S from the desalter
effluent to the atmosphere in the sewers as well as
wastewater treatment if effluent does not go for
pretreatment before discharge to sewers or
Recycled stripped
sour water
1. The phenol contained in the stripped sour water

is extracted into the crude resulting in
significantly lowering the phenol content of the
effluent.
2. The lower phenol content results in lower capital
and operating costs for wastewater treatment.
1. Routing all sour water generated in the plant

results in requiring a large sour water stripper
2. Increase the piping required to convey the crude
and vacuum tower overhead to the sour water
stripper
3. Allows better pH control in the desalter
IPIECA
Some of the drilling muds that come in with the
The level of contaminants contained in the desalter
crude tend to accumulate in the desalter and need
is highly variable depending on factors such as:
to be removed. This can be done either continuously
mud washing system in which the muds are not
effectiveness of the interface control device in the

desalter; and
allowed to accumulate in the vessel. Most refineries

do the mud washing on an intermittent basis
operating pH of the desalter (higher pH results in

more emulsions);
or periodically. Some desalters have a continuous
frequency and effectiveness of the mudwash.
(typically once a shift) by temporarily increasing the

wash water flow to the mud washing nozzles
Table 4 shows the expected concentration of
located at the bottom of the desalter. However, when
containments in desalter effluent.
this operation is carried out it can result in

increased discharges of hydrocarbons to the
wastewater treatment system.
Oil/water interface control is an important aspect of
the design and operation of desalters. There are a
number of interface controllers that are available in
the marketplace and one such system uses high
frequency electromagnetic measurement to detect the
interface. Control of the oil/water interface will help
minimize/eliminate the inadvertent discharges of
hydrocarbons to the wastewater treatment systems.
Desaltersummary of best practices

Avoid using fresh water as wash water in the
desalter.
Preferentially use stripped phenolic sour water as
wash water.
Operating pH in the desalter should be
optimized to about 67.
Use proper interface probes in the desalter for
effective oil/water separation.
Consider diverting desalter brine to a separate
tank where solids can drop out during mud
washing operations.
The wash water used in desalters is typically 5 to

8% of the crude throughput. The source of wash
water that is used in the desalters varies widely in
different refineries. Table 3 describes the various
sources that are used and discusses the advantages
and disadvantages of each source.
Table 4 Desalter effluent contaminants
10
Contaminant
Expected concentration (mg/l)
Chemical oxygen demand (COD)
400 to 1000
Free hydrocarbons
Up to 1000
Suspended solids
Up to 500
Phenol
10 to 100
Benzene
5 to 15
Sulphides
Up to 100
Ammonia
Up to 100
Sour water
is sent to refinery slops. The vapours from this drum
Steam is used in many processes in refineries as a
are sent to the flare. The sour water from the drum
stripping medium in distillation and as a diluent to
is then sent to a storage tank which provides the
reduce the hydrocarbon partial pressure in catalytic
required surge in the system. The sour water is then
cracking and other applications. The steam is
passed through a feed/bottoms exchanger where it
condensed as an aqueous phase and is removed as
is heated up and then sent to the stripper. Steam is
sour water. Since this steam condenses in the
used in the reboiler to heat up the bottoms and
presence of hydrocarbons, which contain hydrogen
provide the vapour traffic in the tower. The separated
sulphide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3), these
vapors containing H2S and NH3 are typically sent
compounds are absorbed into the water at levels
to a sulphur plant. The stripped water is routed via the
that typically require treatment.
feed/bottoms exchanger and a trim cooler for reuse

in the refinery. Any excess water that cannot be
The typical treatment for sour water is to send it to a
reused would be sent to a wastewater treatment plant.
stripper for removal of H2S and NH3. Steam is used

to inject heat into the strippers. High performance
Refineries that include process units such as catalytic
strippers are able to achieve < 1 ppm H2S and
crackers and delayed cokers produce more sour water
< 30 ppm NH3 in the stripped sour water. With
than a less complex refinery. The sour water from
these levels, the stripped sour water is an ideal
these sources also contains phenols and cyanides,
candidate for recycle/reuse in the refinery. Strippers
and should be segregated from the remaining sour
that use direct steam injection as the stripping
water produced in the refinery. Dedicated sour water
medium create more wastewater in the refinery
strippers may be used to process this water, and the
compared to strippers that use reboilers to inject
stripped sour water from this stripper should be
heat into the strippers. Figure 3 shows the
preferentially reused as wash water for the desalters.
configuration of a typical sour water stripper.
This will result in the extraction of a substantial

portion (up to 90%) of the phenol contained in this
In this system, all the sour water produced in the
sour water and result in a lowering of the load of
refinery is flashed in a drum and any separated oil
phenol to the wastewater treatment system.
Figure 3 Sour water stripper configuration
11
IPIECA
Table 5 Sour water producers

Unit
Producer
Typical destination
Comments
Crude
Atmospheric tower
overhead drum
Sour water stripper or

desalter
Some refineries use this stream as desalter

wash water without stripping. This practice can
lead to emulsion formation resulting in reduced
oil/water separation in the desalter
Vacuum
Tower hotwell
Sour water stripper or

desalter
Some refineries use this stream as desalter

wash water without stripping. This practice can
lead to emulsion formation resulting in reduced
oil/water separation in the desalter
Catalytic cracker
Fractionator overhead
drum
Sour water stripper
This sour water contains elevated levels of

phenol and cyanides which do not get
removed in the sour water strippers
Delayed coker
drum and blowdown drum
Sour water stripper

Visbreaker
drum and blowdown drum
Sour water stripper

Hydrotreaters
Wash water separator
Sour water stripper
Stripped water is generally used as wash

water and therefore hydrotreaters are typically
not net producers of sour water
Hydrocracker
Wash water separator
Dedicated sour water

stripper
Hydrocrackers generally require very clean

wash water and one strategy is to send sour
water to a dedicated sour water strippers to
avoid impurities that might be present in sour
water produced in other units in the refinery
Sulphur plant
Tail gas treater
Sour water stripper
none
Table 6 Stripped sour water contaminants

Contaminant
600 to 1200
Free hydrocarbons
< 10
Suspended solids
< 10
Phenol
Up to 200
Benzene
Sulphides
< 10
Ammonia
< 100
12
Table 5 (above) shows the various process units that

produce sour water and best practices with respect
to reuse of stripped sour water.
The composition of the stripped sour water is highly
dependent on the design and operation of the sour
water stripper. Table 6 (left) shows the expected level
of contaminants in stripped sour water.
Sour water strippersummary of best practices

Route sour water produced in the refinery to the
sour water stripper except where it can be used
directly, e.g. as desalter wash water (see below).
If the refinery has a catalytic cracker or a coker,
the sour water produced in these units should be
segregated and processed in a dedicated
phenolic sour water stripper.
The stripped water from the phenolic stripper
should be preferentially used as wash water in
the desalter.
Where necessary, the stripped sour water should
be cooled prior to discharge to wastewater
treatment, to avoid subjecting the biological
treatment system to excessive temperatures.
otherwise result in a loss of storage capacity. Water

draws are normally sent to either the wastewater
treatment or to a separate tank where the solids are
separated from the oil and water. Figure 4 shows a
typical arrangement of a crude tank draw.
In this system, the crude tank, which is located
inside a berm for secondary containment, is
equipped with a valved drain line that is sent to a
sump located outside the berm. The operator uses
the valve to drain the BS&W periodically using the
interface level indicator to ensure that hydrocarbons
do not get inadvertently drained out. Many
refineries make it an operating practice that the
operator be present to monitor the draining
operation during the entire draining period to
Tank bottom draws
ensure that free hydrocarbons are not inadvertently

drained. There can be many variations of the system
Typically, the categories of tanks that may require
shown in this example but the principle of operation
water draws in refineries include:
would be similar. The type of interface indicator
crude tanks;
used is also an important consideration. Some crude
gasoline tanks; and
tanks use probes, which use high frequency
slop tanks.
electromagnetic measurement to detect the interface.
The incoming crude to refineries normally contains
Tanks that store gasoline also tend to collect water.
water and sediments (mud) that are picked up when
These tanks should be equipped with drainage
the oil is extracted from the wellsthis is referred to
systems similar to that of crude tanks to ensure that the
as bottom sediment and water (BS&W). When the
hydrocarbon product is not inadvertently drained from
crude is stored in large tanks, the BS&W settles to
the tanks. It should be noted that the amount of water
the bottom and must be periodically removed to
that is drained from gasoline tanks is relatively small
prevent a buildup of this material which would
compared to the amount of water from crude tanks.
Figure 4 Crude tank water draw
13
IPIECA
Table 7 Crude tank bottom sediment and water contaminants
compounds are absorbed into the reagent, and the

resulting spent caustic solution cannot be
Contaminant
400 to 1000
compounds contained in the caustic solution must be
Free hydrocarbons
Up to 1000
purged intermittently or continuously from the
Suspended solids
Up to 500
Sulphides
Up to 100
regenerated. As a result, these absorbed acidic
caustic treating system, and replaced by fresh

caustic. The caustic solution will drop out as
separate aqueous phase in intermediate or product
storage tanks. Subsequent drawdown and discharge
from the tanks will be required. This discharge
Table 7 shows the expected level of contaminants in
usually occurs to the sewer, frequently on a batch
typical crude tank BS&W.
basis and can cause problems in the wastewater

treatment plant.
Tank bottom drawssummary of best practices

Adequate piping and valves should be provided
to allow proper draining of the tank.
Proper instrumentation should be provided so
that the oil/water interface in the tank can be
monitored properly.
Operating procedures that require the presence
of an operator at the tank during the entire
draining period should be implemented if
practices and automation still results in excessive
oil to the sewer.
The intermediate/product streams most frequently

treated with caustic in a refinery are shown in
Table 8.
If a refinery is running a particularly corrosive
crude, e.g. one with a high TAN (total acid
number), the naphthenic acid that is contained in
such a crude tends to concentrate in the
kerosene/jet fuel cut in the refinery. When this
stream is caustic treated the acids are converted to
naphthenates which are especially refractory to
biological treatment.
Spent caustic
Spent caustic is formed due to the extraction of
Traditionally, spent caustic has been disposed of in
acidic components from hydrocarbon streams. This
a number of different ways. Discharge to the sewer
includes residual H2S, phenols, organic acids,
system is common but not necessarily the best
hydrogen cyanide and carbon dioxide. These acidic
practice. An alternative option is off-site disposal of
Table 8 Intermediate product streamcaustic treated

Usual contaminants/impurities
Intermediate product
Straight run LPG
H2S
RSH
Light straight-run naphtha

FCC* C3 + C4 LPG (produces phenolic spent caustic)
FCC* gasoline (produces phenolic spent caustic)

Coker C3 + C4 LPG (produces phenolic spent caustic
Kerosene/jet fuel)
* Fluid catalytic cracker

14
Phenol
HCN
Other
X
X
phenolic spent caustics where recovery of contained
Consider prewashing (absorbing) hydrocarbons
organic components can occur. Off-site disposal of
with stripped sour water to reduce the quantity of
sulphidic spent caustics (often the largest portion of
acidic compounds in these streams prior to them
refinery spent caustic) is more difficult because there
being sent to the caustic treater. This will
are few reprocessing options for this stream.
minimize the amount of acidic compounds

requiring removal in the caustic treater, and thus
There are two strategies for dealing with spent

caustic in refineries: in-process abatement and endof-pipe treatment.
minimize the discharge of spent caustic.
The strength, purity and composition of caustic

required for a given treatment, or generated by
a treatment process, vary widely. The quality of
In-process abatement/minimization
best practices
The following in-process options have the common
objective of minimizing quantities of spent caustic
requiring disposal.
As discussed above, there are two types of
spent caustic that are generated in refineries
depending on the types of process units present.
Some refineries are able to treat the sulphidic
spent caustic in the refinery wastewater
treatment plant. Phenolic spent caustic is very
odorous and therefore cannot be treated in the
wastewater treatment plant. Phenolic spent
caustic (from catalytic cracker, coker and
kerosene/jet fuel treater) should be segregated
from the sulphidic spent caustic and stored
separately. This will allow the refinery to
properly evaluate appropriate strategies for
spent caustic disposal.
The amount of spent caustic generated is
dependent on operating procedures in the
treating units. These procedures often call for
the caustic to be purged when the sodium
hydroxide concentration in the solution reaches
a certain value. The production of spent caustic
can be minimized by exercising tighter control
of caustic treating operations by ensuring that
the caustic solution is not purged prematurely.
Hydrocarbons are normally treated in an amine
system to absorb the hydrogen sulphide prior to
being sent to a caustic treater. The operation of
the absorber should be reviewed to maximize
its efficiency of absorption so that the amount of
hydrogen sulphide reaching the caustic treating
system is minimized.
caustic will depend on both the product being

treated and the type of treatment system being
employed. An effective strategy to reduce the use
of fresh caustic and minimize the generation of
end-of-pipe spent caustics is to carefully match
caustic treatment needs with available spent
caustics being generated.
End-of-pipe treatmentbest practices

The following treatment systems are used in
refineries for treating spent caustic.
Sulphidic spent caustic can be treated in the
wastewater treatment plant as long as it is added
in a controlled manner. This will prevent shocking
the system and will minimize the generation of
odours from the system.
Off-site disposal of phenolic caustic is practiced
in many refineries. The cost of disposal together
with transportation and potential liability costs
need to be taken into account before choosing
this option.
End-of-pipe treatmentother options
Other options available for the treatment/disposal
of spent caustic are listed below:
Deep neutralization (lowering the pH to less than
4) which results in the stripping of the H2S and
the separation of phenols is an option for
treating phenolic spent caustics. This option
requires relatively high capital and operating
costs.
If the spent caustic includes a significant amount
of naphthenates (such as spent caustic from
kerosene/jet fuel treaters), wet air oxidation of
the spent caustic should be considered. In this
15
IPIECA
system, the spent caustic is oxidized with air at
very high temperature and pressure (~700 psi,
heat exchange with boiler feedwater to generate

steam;
~500F). This type of system is also very high in
heat exchange with other process streams;
capital and operating costs.
rejection of heat using air coolers; and
The potential for sale of spent caustic to an
rejection of heat to cooling water.
adjacent industry such as a pulp and paper mill

or cement plant should also be explored.
Figure 5 shows a typical distillation system in a

refinery. In this system, three types of heat rejection
systems are shown. The crude oil is preheated by
Cooling water
In refineries, crude oil is separated in various
fractions based on boiling point. This is
accomplished by fractional distillation of the crude
oil. The distillation is carried out in distillation
columns where the crude is heated up and
vapourized in a fuel (fuel oil, natural gas or refinery
fuel gas) fired heater. Various fractions are
separated by condensing and cooling products that
are withdrawn from the tower. From an overall heat
balance point of view, the heat that is put into the
system by burning fuel and/or the introduction of
steam has to be removed or rejected. This is
accomplished in various ways, including:
Figure 5 Typical distillation system
16
exchanging with another process stream and fed to

a fired heater. The partially vapourized products are
sent to the distillation tower where different side
streams are withdrawn based on the boiling point
range of the product. The side streams are sent to
strippers which are also distillation columns where
the boiling point range of the product is adjusted
further by the addition of steam. The bottoms
product from these strippers is cooled and sent to
storage. The vapours from these side strippers are
sent back to the main tower. The overhead vapours
from the main tower are condensed using an aircooled exchanger, and then further cooled using a
cooling water heat exchanger. Three types of heat
exchangers are shown in this system:
Type 1 heat exchangers such as steam
Figure 6 Once-through cooling water system
generators and process stream heat exchangers;
Type 2 heat exchangers which use cooling water;
air coolers.
There are three types of cooling water systems:

1. Once-through cooling water system: In this type
of system the cooling capacity of the water is used
only once without contacting the fluid or vapour
being cooled. These systems use water withdrawn
from a surface water source such as a lake, river or
estuary and typically return the water to the same
source. Figure 6 shows a typical once-through
Figure 7 Closed-loop cooling system
cooling water system.

2. Closed-loop cooling water system: In this system
water is circulated in a closed-loop piping system
and is subject to cooling and heating without
evaporation or air contact. Heat that is absorbed by
the water in a closed-loop system is normally
rejected using a heat exchanger to a once-through
cooling system. Figure 7 shows and example of a
closed-loop system.
3. Evaporative cooling water system: In this type of
Figure 8 Evaporative cooling water system
system, the heat that is picked up by the recirculating

cooling water is rejected in a cooling tower by
evaporation. In the cooling tower the hot water is
sprayed against a rising stream of atmospheric air.
The heat in the cooling water is removed by heating
the air as well as evaporation of the cooling water.
An example of an evaporative recirculating cooling
tower system is shown in Figure 8.
In a cooling tower system, part of the circulating
water is removed as blowdown to prevent the buildup of dissolved solids in the system. The quantity of
is because in many cases the pressure on the process
blowdown required depends on the quality of the
side of heat exchangers is higher than the cooling
make-up water, and the number of cycles of
water pressure, and any leaks in a heat exchanger
concentration that the cooling tower is operated at
would result in the contamination of the cooling
(typically 4 to 7).
water with hydrocarbons. This practice imposes a

hydraulic load on the wastewater treatment system.
Cooling tower blowdown is typically sent to
The full impact on wastewater treatment needs to be
wastewater treatment in refineries via the sewer. This
evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

17
IPIECA
Boiler blowdown
Table 9 Cooling tower blowdowncontaminants
A portion (usually up to 5%) of the boiler feedwater
Contaminant
150
Free hydrocarbons
<5
the dissolved solids level in the system at an
Suspended solids
Up to 200
acceptable level. This level could be different
Dissolved solids
Up to 700
(BFW) and condensate that is fed to the boilers in

the refinery is purged from the system to maintain
depending on the pressure level of the steam being

produced (150 psi, 600 psi or 1500 psi). Figure 9
shows a typical system.
Table 9 shows the expected level of contaminants in

the cooling tower blowdown stream.
Cooling tower blowdownbest practices

Monitor the cooling tower circulation loop for
hydrocarbons.
If hydrocarbon is detected the source of the leak
needs to be determined and isolated quickly.
Route the cooling tower blowdown to the
wastewater treatment plant by a separate line
and not through the sewer. This will prevent the
blowdown from getting further contaminated with
hydrocarbons that may be present in the sewers.
However, this is costly, and may not be
practicable in all cases. Reduction of oil to the
sewer should be regarded as a primary strategy
and can accomplish similar results.
The cooling tower blowdown can be routed
directly to the secondary oil/water separation
equipment in wastewater treatment (bypassing
the primary oil/water separation system).
Steam generator blowdown

A steam generator system is similar to the system
shown above but the heat source is a process heat
exchanger that needs to reject heat. Figure 10
shows the typical configuration of this system.
Unrecovered condensate
The drivers for condensate recovery in refineries
include:
more energy savings if more condensate is

recovered;
quantity of boiler feedwater makeup required is

directly proportional to the quantity of
condensate lost; this results in increased
operating costs for treating the BFW; and
any condensate lost to the sewer increases the

temperature of the wastewater and thus imposes
a heat load at wastewater treatment.
The percentage of condensate recovered can be

low in some refineries depending on design and
layout of the refinery. Additionally, some of the
Condensate blowdown
condensate from steam traps and heat tracing is

also lost to the atmosphere and/or sewer. Often
In a refinery condensate losses are from:
blowdown from the plant boiler system;
the hot discharge can ultimately cause deterioration
blowdown from the various steam generators that
of the sewers.
are located in the process units; and
unrecovered condensate from steam traps, steam

tracing etc.
18
these traps are discharged directly to the sewer and
Figure 9 Boiler blowdowntypical
Figure 10 Steam generator blowdowntypical
19
IPIECA
Condensate blowdownbest
practices
should be disposed off-site. Not discharging it to

the sewer in the refinery will prevent the
introduction of inert solids into the sewer in the
The refinery should monitor the condensate
refinery which in turn will avoid creation of more
balance in the refinery on an ongoing basis and

efforts should be made to maximize recovery.
The total volume of condensate blowdown (boiler,
oil sludge that requires disposal.
water creates an alkaline wastewater stream and
steam generator blowdown and others) should
an acidic wastewater stream as a result of the
be less than 10% of the total flow of wastewater
regeneration of the ion exchange beds. These
from the refinery.
streams should be collected in a tank and the pH
The quantity of blowdown taken at each boiler or
neutralized prior to being discharged directly to
steam generator in the refinery should be
an outfall (bypassing wastewater treatment) if
monitored and minimized.
The blowdown from each location or a group of

locations should be collected and sent to a flash
The use of ion exchange for treatment of raw
allowed by local regulation.
The use of reverse osmosis for raw water

treatment results in the creation of a reject stream
drum (as shown in Figure 10) where the pressure
that is very high in dissolved solids. This reject
is let down to atmospheric pressure before being
stream should be discharged directly to an outfall
discharged. The flashed blowdown should then
(bypassing wastewater treatment) if allowed by
be cooled with a heat exchanger. This will
local regulation.
prevent deterioration of the sewers and also

avoid heating and vaporizing of any
hydrocarbons that might be present in the sewer.
The discharge should not be cooled by directly
adding water (such as utility water) because this
could require the addition of a substantial
quantity of water to adequately cool the stream.
This will also result in an increase of the total
flow of wastewater to the treatment plant.
Miscellaneous discharges
best practices
There are a variety of additional activities that, if
implemented routinely at a facility, could reduce
water use. Some of these activities include the
following:
Housekeeping and washdowns: If facilities use
Raw water treatment
utility water hoses to washdown the process area
The raw water treatment in a refinery creates
other materials, operating procedures and training
wastewater and sludges that require disposal. The
must be implemented to ensure that hoses are
following section describes the best practices with
turned off after their use, and that other non-water
respect to these discharges.
means (for example, adsorbent pads or booms,
and small inadvertent spills of hydrocarbons and
brooms) be used to clean up area as appropriate.
Raw water treatmentbest practices
hydrocarbons, closed-loop samplers should be
When lime softening is used for raw water
installed and used. This will prevent the
treatment, the sludge generated in this process
discharge of hydrocarbons to the sewer during

the purging of sample lines.
should be thickened, and optionally dewatered.

The thickener overflow water can be discharged
20
Closed-loop sample systems: For sampling
Leak identification programme: Firewater, or
directly without any further treatment, when local
other water leaks in raw water piping or cooling-
regulations allow. The sludge that is generated
water piping can add to WWTP flows. These
systems should be periodically monitored for
drums should drain to a slop drum located outside
leaks.
the laboratory building where it will be collected

and picked up periodically by a vacuum truck in the
Miscellaneous discharges
minimization
Some additional ideas that can contribute to
minimization of wastewater discharges to the sewer:
refinery and sent to the refinery slop system.
Spent/unused wastewater samples

best practices
External cooling of heat exchangers: At some
The wastewater samples should be discharged to a
locations due to the lack of adequate heat
local sewer and, if necessary, routed through a local
exchanger area or the high cooling water inlet
oil/water separator, prior to discharge to the
temperature during the summer months, utility
wastewater treatment plant.
water hoses are used to cool these exchangers

externally. This results in the discharge of
substantial quantities of clean water to the sewer.
This practice should be discontinued and the lack
Discharges from laboratory sinks

best practices
of adequate heat exchanger area should be
Discharges from the sinks in the laboratory should
addressed as soon as practical.
be routed to the wastewater treatment plant via a
Fire water system: Some refineries use treated
local oil/water separator, in cases where practices
wastewater in their firewater system.
to ensure the discharges are oil free are
Implementation of this practice should be
unsuccessful. Care must be taken not to discharge
explored since it will not only minimize the
various chemicals or reagents (such as nitro
discharge to the sewer but also result in savings
benzene) that could cause problems in the
of raw water.
wastewater treatment plant. Chemicals or reagents

that could upset a wastewater treatment plant
should be managed separately, for example,
Laboratory wastewater
disposed of in a separate drum and sent off-site for

disposal.
Typical refinery laboratories analyse both

that is generated in these laboratories can be
Discharges from bottle washing

systemsbest practices
categorized as follows:
It must be ensured that sample bottles are emptied
hydrocarbon and water samples. The wastewater
spent/unused hydrocarbon samples;
to their respective systems (hydrocarbons to slops
spent/unused wastewater samples;
and wastewater to the sewer) prior to being washed
discharges from sinks in the laboratory; and
in the bottle washing machines. This will minimize
discharges from bottle washing systems in the
the formation of emulsions in the discharges from
laboratory.
these machines. The discharges from the machines

should be sent to the local sewer.
Spent/unused hydrocarbons
samplesbest practices
The spent/unused hydrocarbon samples should be
disposed of in segregated drums located at
convenient locations inside the laboratory. These
21
IPIECA

In this document, stormwater refers to precipitation
the treatment plant, and consequently decreases the
from rainfall or snowfall. Stormwater from within the
sizing requirements for individual units in the
refinery process areas is potentially contaminated
treatment plant. Equipment sizing of many
and typically needs to be treated prior to discharge.
wastewater treatment units depends on hydraulic
Non-process area stormwater may be discharged
load. Biological treatment systems in particular do
without prior treatment if allowed by local regulation.
not respond effectively to sudden changes in flow or

contaminant loadings.
Sewerage refers to wastewater that is discharged

from kitchens, employee locker rooms and
The quantity of precipitation depends on rainfall
washrooms.
intensity and the drainage area (process area). The

drainage area can be directly measured through
topological surveys or satellite imagery of the
Stormwater segregation and

management
refinery property, taking into consideration the

location of drainage points. Rainfall intensity data
can be obtained from the local weather service or
airport. The required storage volume required for
A variety of stormwater management practices are
stormwater is governed by local regulations.
employed at refineries across the world. The

particular approach a refinery adopts towards
stormwater management is influenced by the age and
condition of the sewer system, the frequency and
intensity of precipitation, the water quality of process
area runoff, the area contained within the process
zones and local regulations and requirements.
Segregating non-process area stormwater from
process area stormwater allows a refinery to
potentially discharge the stormwater from nonprocess areas without treatment provided it is
allowed by local regulation. Effective segregation
can be achieved by means of curbing, grading, and
proper selection of collection points. Non-process
area stormwater is generally clean, and can be
reused if it is segregated. A separate sewer or
drainage system must be in place to implement this
option. Contaminated stormwater must be collected
separately and stored until it can be treated in the
Contaminated stormwater
Process area runoff (contaminated stormwater) can
be collected in storage tanks or impoundment basins
and discharged for wastewater treatment at a
controlled rate. This lowers the hydraulic loading on
22
Contaminated stormwaterbest practices

Techniques that can be used to minimize the
quantity of contaminated stormwater include:
Minimize process collection area: Stormwater
runoff from process units where they wash out
hydrocarbons that have been inadvertently
spilled on the pads should be directed to the
contaminated stormwater collection system.
Process areas where the stormwater cannot
potentially come into contact with hydrocarbons
or other chemicals can be routed to the noncontaminated stormwater collection system, or
discharge it directly if it is allowed by regulation.
Curbing or other modifications can be made to
reduce the area draining to the contaminated
stormwater sewer.
Treatment of first flush: first flush of
stormwater refers to the stormwater that initially
runs off the process area. First flush treatment is
based on the assumption that the initial runoff is
more contaminated because the hydrocarbons
and other pollutants deposited on process areas
get washed off by the first flush. The first flush
will also contain any oil or solids that were
trapped in a catchment area or sewer system.
After the first flush is captured, subsequent runoff
can then be diverted to the non-contaminated
stormwater system if allowed by local regulation.
directly into the non-contaminated drainage
Even if the stormwater is allowed to be diverted
area. This technique would not be practical for
to the non-contaminated system, local regulations
large process units, where elevations of various
typically require that the diverted stormwater be
pieces of equipment can vary significantly. A
subjected to one stage of oil/water separation
larger area of low-lying process equipment,
just as a precaution. The amount of first flush
however, could be covered by a single roof
stormwater collected is the first inch or the first
sloped towards a non-contaminated drainage
two inches of rain, and is usually governed by
area. In climates where significant snowfalls can
local regulations. The first flush is collected in a
be expected, covering for process areas must be
tank or basin and discharged to wastewater
designed to account for snow loads and/or must
treatment at a controlled rate to avoid
be equipped with measures to prevent freezing
overloading the system hydraulically.
of drain lines.
Minimize solids in stormwater: Any sand or grit

that collects in the process areas gets washed
into the sewer with stormwater. These solids will
Non-contaminated stormwater
mix with any hydrocarbons present in the sewer
Segregating non-process area stormwater from
and create oily sludge. Typically, one pound of
process area stormwater requires a separate
dry solids creates ten pounds of oily sludge and
drainage system. This may consist of a buried
increases the load on the API
separator1
and the
drainage system, or a system based on grading,
sludge treatment system. One of the sources of
trenches and culverts. Curbing may also be
solids could be the erosion from unpaved areas
necessary to separate process area stormwater from
that make their way into the process units. Paving
non-process area stormwater. Non-contaminated
adjacent areas or covering them with gravel will
stormwater can be sent to a pond or lagoon for use
minimize the migration of sand and grit. Plant
as raw water for the refinery.
areas should be periodically swept and the solids

should be collected and disposed of in an
appropriate manner. Vegetation can be planted
in strategic areas to minimize soil erosion during
storm events.
Cover process areas: Covering process

equipment (where feasible) reduces the amount
of stormwater that comes into contact with
potentially contaminated areas. Water flows over
the covers and can be directed to the noncontaminated stormwater collection system. Some
examples of process areas where covers would
be beneficial and practical are pump stations,
heat exchangers and separation drums. Areas
adjacent to non-contaminated drainage areas
are the most logical candidates for covers, as the
stormwater from these locations can be diverted
Non-contaminated stormwaterbest practices

Re-use: There are several potential re-use
opportunities for non-contaminated stormwater
including fire water, cooling tower makeup, utility
water and boiler feedwater makeup. These issues
are discussed in more detail in the section on
Re-use of non-contaminated stormwater on
page 43 of this document.
Retention: Local regulation will dictate the type
and frequency of testing that will be required
prior to the discharge of non-contaminated
stormwater. Many refineries choose to hold the
stormwater in a pond or basin prior to
discharge. This will also allow time for the
refinery to evaluate whether to reuse this water
or not.
See page 28 for more information on API separators.
23
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Sewerage management
Sewerage refers to wastewater that is generated in
kitchens, locker rooms and washrooms in the
refinery. At many locations the sewerage is
combined with the wastewater generated in the
refinery and sent to the wastewater treatment plant.
Other refineries segregate the sewerage and treat it
separately from the refinery wastewater.
The strategy for treatment should be dictated by the
requirements of the local regulation. Typically the
flow of sewerage in a refinery is relatively small
when compared to the other wastewater generated
in the refinery. If local regulations require that the
combined treated wastewater needs to be
chlorinated prior to discharge then segregation and
separate treatment will result in substantial savings
in chlorination costs. Local regulations may dictate
additional certification and training for refinery
WWTP operators when sanitary waste is comingled
with refinery wastewater.
Treatment of sewerage can be effectively carried out
in small self-contained packaged treatment systems
at relatively small capital and operating costs.
24
Effluent treatment
This section discusses the various types of treatment
aeration tank/clarifier which constitutes the biological
that are usually practiced by refineries for treating
system. The effluent from the clarifier is then sent to
wastewater. It should be noted that best practices for
tertiary treatment (if necessary) prior to discharge.
the various types of treatment are not included in

this section. This is because the technology used for
refinery wastewater systems is site-specific and
depends largely on influent conditions and the level
of treatment required which is governed by local
regulations.
Typical refinery wastewater treatment plants consist
of primary and secondary oil/water separation,
followed by biological treatment, and tertiary
Process wastewater pretreatment

In some refineries the wastewater generated from
some of the units can be pretreated prior to
discharge to wastewater treatment. Some of the
practices that are used in refineries are summarised
below.
treatment (if necessary).

A typical refinery wastewater treatment system is
Desalter effluent treatment
shown in Figure 11.
The effluent from the desalter can be the cause of
In a refinery wastewater treatment system, two steps
this is the result of changes to crude slates or other
of oil removal are typically required to achieve the

necessary removal of free oil from the collected
wastewater prior to feeding it to a biological
system. This oil removal is achieved by using an API
separator followed by a dissolved air flotation (DAF)
operating problems in wastewater treatment. Often,

desalter upsets that affect the operation of the
desalter resulting in inadvertent discharges of oil,
emulsion and solids to wastewater treatment. The
desalter effluent can also contain significant
concentrations of benzene and other volatile
or induced air flotation (IAF) unit.
organic compounds (VOCs) that tend to vapourize
The wastewater from the secondary oil/water
as odour problems in the refinery if the desalter
separation unit is sent to the equalization system (the

choices for location of the equalization system are
discussed on page 31) that is used to dampen out
variations in flow and concentration in the refinery
wastewater. The wastewater is then routed to the
in the sewers leading to excessive emissions as well

effluent is not managed properly.
Desalter oil/water separation

Some refineries choose to subject the desalter
effluent to an oil/water separation step (possibly
using a separation tank) prior to discharge to the
Figure 11 Typical refinery wastewater treatment
25
IPIECA
Figure 12 Desalter oil/water separation
wastewater treatment plant. This approach is used
divert the brine during upsets in the desalter. Figure
especially when the capacity of a primary oil/water
12 shows the configuration of a typical desalter
separator in the wastewater treatment is limited,
effluent pretreatment system.
and an analysis indicates that it is more costeffective to install a separation step on the desalter
The desalter effluent is sent to a floating roof tank
stream rather than change or upgrade the existing
(floating roof in order to control VOC emissions)
wastewater treatment plant configuration. This is
which typically has a residence time of a day or so in
also a way of handling the increased load of solids
order to provide equalization, upset buffering etc.
that get discharged during mud washing of the
The brine is allowed to settle and separate. The oil is
desalter. Some refineries also use such a tank to
skimmed off and sent to refinery slops and the water
Figure 13 Desalter effluent stripper
26
phase is sent to the wastewater plant. The bottom
of wastewater per barrel of crude processed, the
solids from the tank is sent to the sludge treatment
reuse of treated refinery wastewater is increasingly
plant or the coker unit if the refinery has such a suit.
coming into focus. An effective strategy for

segregation of refinery wastewater is by the TDS
Desalter effluent VOC control

In some countries emissions of benzene and other
volatiles are required to be controlled, by regulation.
Since the desalter effluent can contain significant
concentrations of these compounds, attempts have
been made to control the emissions using strippers
(steam/natural gas). The oil and solids content of the
desalter effluent are high and this can foul/plug the
internals of the stripper if proper pretreatment and
equalization are not utilized. Figure 13 shows the
configuration of a desalter effluent stripper.
content of the wastewater. As previously discussed

the sources of wastewater in a refinery can be
categorized as follows:
desalter effluent (high TDS);
tank BS&W (high TDS);
spent caustic (high TDS);
stripped sour water (low TDS);
stormwater (low TDS); and
miscellaneous wastewater (low TDS).
In a segregated system the refinery wastewater

system would consist of two parallel trains with the
same unit operations, except that the low TDS train
Wastewater segregation
Given that there is a shortage of available raw
water in many locations, and the fact that a typical
would not include an API separator because the

suspended solids loading of the inlet wastewater
tends to be quite low. Figure 14 describes the two
parallel trains.
refinery produces anywhere from 10 to 50 gallons
Figure 14 Segregated wastewater treatment
27
IPIECA
It should be noted that this level of segregation and

treatment is not common practice in refineries but is
sometimes considered in water-scarce areas. The
issues associated with recycle and reuse of treated
wastewater are discussed in greater detail in the
section on Recycle and reuse issues, beginning on
page 42 of this document.
First stage: separation (oil/water

separators, API separators)
API separators are frequently used in the treatment
of refinery wastewater which usually contains oil
and oil-bearing sludge. Separators use the
difference in specific gravity to allow heavier
material to settle below lighter liquids.
Hydrocarbons that float on the surface are skimmed
off, while the sludge that settles to the bottom is
Primary treatment
removed periodically.
The primary treatment for refinery wastewater is a
In a typical API separator, wastewater is first
physical operation, usually gravity separation, to

remove the floating and the settleable materials in
the wastewater. In a typical refinery wastewater
treatment system, the primary treatment step consists
of an oil/water separator where oil, water and
solids are separated. This is followed by a
secondary oil/water/solids separation step in which
a DAF or an IAF unit is used. The primary treatment
steps are discussed in detail below.
collected in a pretreatment section that allows

sludge removal. A diffusion barrier slowly allows
the wastewater to flow down the separator towards
the outlet while the lighter oil fractions can be
skimmed off. Flights and scrapers are sometimes
used to remove heavier solids. Underflow baffle
plates are usually used to prevent oil from escaping
into the outlet section. Figure 15 shows a typical
API separator.
Figure 15 API separator
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Trash trap (inclined rods)

Oil retention baffles
Flow distributors (vertical rods)
Oil layer
Slotted pipe skimmer
Adjustable overflow weir
Sludge sump
Chain and flight scraper
(Reproduced courtesy of PSENCO)
28
Some of the performance-limiting factors relating to

the API separators are listed and discussed below:
Emulsified or dissolved oil that is usually present

cannot be removed by an API Separator.
High pH at the API separators can stabilize

emulsions. Spent caustic streams should be either
neutralized or routed directly to equalization in
order to reduce pH at the API separators.
An API separator is an effective device for

separating three phases (oil, solids and water) that
are usually present in refinery wastewater. There are
some refineries that use corrugated plate
interceptors (CPI) or parallel plate separators (PPI).
Both CPI and PPI separators tend to be smaller than
a comparable API and require less plot space.
However, while these devices are very effective as
two-phase separators (oil and water), they are less
effective when a third phase (solids) are present.
The solids that are present in refinery wastewater
tend to foul and plug the parallel plates resulting in
the need for frequent maintenance.
Secondary oil/water separation

The effluent from the primary oil/water separation
step is sent for further oil and fine solids removal to
either a DAF unit or an IAF unit. The choice of
whether to use a DAF versus an IAF unit is refineryspecific, and needs to be evaluated based on the
influent conditions and the required outlet conditions.
Dissolved air flotation (DAF)

The first step in a DAF system is coagulation/
flocculation. Dispersed particles (oil/solids) are
stabilized by negative electric charges on their
surfaces, causing them to repel each other. Since
this prevents these charged particles from colliding
to form larger masses, called flocs, they do not settle.
To assist in the removal of colloidal particles from
suspension, chemical coagulation and flocculation are
required. These processes, usually done in sequence,
are a combination of physical and chemical
procedures. Chemicals are mixed with wastewater
to promote the aggregation of the suspended solids
into particles large enough to settle or be removed.
Figure 16 Dissolved air flotationa typical DAF unit
(Reproduced courtesy of AJM Environmental)
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In a DAF system, part of the effluent is recycled,
advantages of the IAF technique are compact size,
pressurized, saturated with air and mixed with the
low capital cost and the effective removal of free oil
incoming feed. When the recycle stream is
and suspended materials. The configuration of a
depressurized it releases the air bubbles which
typical IAF unit is shown in the Figure 17.
attach themselves to any free oil/solids contained in

the feed and float them to the surface of the vessel.
Other types of dispersed gas flotation units exist,
The floated material is skimmed off and sent to
such as the hydraulic type, where effluent is pumped
refinery slops after further dewatering. Some solids
and educts vapour from the top, before being
also settle to the bottom of the DAF where they are
distributed to each cell via a striker plate to create
scraped off and removed periodically. Figure 16
smaller bubbles which again attract and pull oil out
shows a picture of a typical DAF unit.
of suspension.
Induced air flotation (IAF)

In an IAF unit, air is induced by a rotor-disperser
mechanism, the spinning rotor acts as a pump and
forces the fluid through the disperser openings and
creates a vacuum in the stand pipe. The vacuum in
the standpipe pulls the air and mixes it with the
liquid. The liquid moves through a series of cells
before leaving the unit and the float passes over the
weir on one or both sides of the unit. The
Equalization system
The objective of the equalization system is to
minimize or reduce the fluctuations caused due to
either sudden change of flow or composition in the
Figure 17 Induced air flotation (IAF) unit
(Reproduced courtesy of WEMCO)
30
Flow equalization: Flow equalization provides

dampening of the flow variations, thereby
reducing potential spikes in flow and loads to the
downstream units; it also reduces the size of the
downstream units and the cost of the overall
Downstream of the DAF/IAF

The primary goal of installing the equalization tank
at this location is to protect the downstream
equipment (biological system) from wide variations
in flow and concentration.
refinery wastewater system.
Concentration equalization: This system provides

dampening of contaminants, thereby preventing
the shock loading of the downstream units such
as biological systems. In a biologically-based
system, performance is limited by the capacity of
the microorganisms to adapt to the changing
conditions of variation in flow and composition.
Secondary treatment
Biological treatment is the most widely used wastewater
treatment technology for removal of dissolved
organic compounds in the oil refining industry.
In general, biological treatment can be classified
Location of the equalization system

In Figure 11, the equalization system is shown after
the secondary oil/water separation step. Other
into two categories:
suspended growth processes; and
attached growth processes.
potential locations for the equalization system are

discussed below.
Suspended growth processes
Upstream of the API separator

Some refineries choose to locate the equalization
tank upstream of the API separator in order to
dampen the variations in flow to the separator. If
this location is chosen, it must be recognized that all
the oil and solids contained in the refinery
wastewater will pass through this tank and some of
them will separate. Hardware (piping/pumps and
controls) must be provided to allow removal of free
oil and solids from the tank in order to avoid
accumulation of these materials. Frequent cleaning
of this tank (once or twice a year) may also be
required depending on the loading of solids and oil
that are contained in the refinery wastewater.
Suspended growth processes are biological treatment
Upstream of the DAF/IAF

The equalization tank is installed at this location in
order to dampen the flow variations to the DAF/IAF
and downstream equipment. While this will tend to
make all the downstream equipment smaller, any oil
that is present in the effluent from the API separator
will accumulate in this tank if it is not removed
periodically.
processes in which the microorganisms are thoroughly

mixed with the organics in the liquid, and maintained
as a suspension in the liquid. Microorganisms use
organic constituents as food for their growth and
clump together to form the active biomass. The most
commonly practiced suspended growth process used
in the treatment of refinery wastewater is the
activated sludge process (discussed below).
Activated sludge
An activated sludge process is the most effective of
all the biological systems available. It is used in
many refineries around the world and offers a
reliable method of biological treatment.
Activated sludge is a continuous suspension of
aerobic biological growths in a wastewater
containing entrapped suspended colloidal, dissolved
organic and inorganic materials. The
microorganisms use the organic material as a
carbon source and energy for the microbial growth,
and convert the food into cell tissue, water and
oxidized products (mainly CO2).
31
IPIECA
Figure 18 Activated sludge system
In an activated sludge process, the wastewater
incoming wastewater, and the remainder of the
enters an aeration tank where the microorganisms
sludge is discharged as waste activated sludge
are brought in contact with organic contaminants of
(WAS).
the wastewater. Air is continuously injected into the

system to keep the sludge aerobic and to maintain
the solids in suspension. The mixture of wastewater
and sludge in the aeration basin/tank is referred to
as the mixed liquor, and the biomass in the mixed
liquor is referred to as mixed liquor suspended
solids (MLSS). The organic portion of the biomass is
generally referred to as the mixed liquor volatile
suspended solids (MLVSS). In a typical refinery
wastewater treatment system, the MLSS are
composed of 7090% active MLVSS and 1030%
inert solids.
A schematic of a typical activated sludge system is
shown in Figure 18. The incoming wastewater
Activated sludge treatment with powdered

activated carbon (PACT )
The PACT (Powdered Activated Carbon Treatment)
system is similar to the conventional activated sludge
system described above. In this treatment system
both biological oxidation and carbon absorption
occur simultaneously, thus enhancing the removal of
contaminants in the wastewater. Most of the
powdered activated carbon is recycled with the
activated sludge, but the system requires a
continuous makeup of fresh carbon. PACT systems
are generally used for refinery wastewater in those
cases where stringent standards need to be met for
certain contaminants.
enters the aeration tank where it is contacted with

microorganisms and air. The effluent from the
A schematic of a typical PACT system is shown in
aeration tank is sent to the clarifier. The organic
Figure 19.
contaminant in the wastewater gets converted into

the biomass and gets separated later in the
clarifier. A portion of the concentrated sludge,
referred to as return activated sludge (RAS), from
the clarifier is recycled back and mixed with
32
Figure 19 The PACT (Powdered Activated Carbon Treatment) system
Sequencing batch reactor

A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) is a fill-and-draw
semi-batch biological treatment alternative that
employs aeration, sedimentation and clarification in
a single reactor. The unit processes of aeration and
sedimentation are common to both the SBR and
activated sludge systems. In activated sludge systems
the unit operations take place in different basins,
while in the SBR the operations take place in a
sequential order in a common basin.
React: During this step, wastewater is aerated in

the same way as in the activated sludge system.
Biological activity is initiated in this cycle of
operation.
Settle: In this step, aeration is terminated and

MLSS is allowed to settle. The settling is
accomplished under quiescent conditions; no
flow enters, or is withdrawn from the reactor
during the settle period.
Decant: During the decant period, clarified or

treated supernatant effluent is withdrawn from
Although still practiced in some refineries, SBR
the upper portion of the reactor. The sludge
technology is increasingly uncommon and has
blanket at the bottom of the reactor is maintained
limited application in refinery wastewater treatment.
so that it is available as seed sludge for the next
Figure 20 (overleaf) shows a typical SBR system.
cycle.
The various steps of operation are described below:
Idle: This is not a necessary step and is usually

omitted for the refinery wastewater treatment
Fill: During the fill operation, wastewater with the
system. The idle period is the time between the
substrate is added to the reactor. The aeration
draw and the fill; it could be zero or could be
system is not operated as the reactor is charged
days. Generally, it is used in multi-tank systems,
with wastewater from the equalization tank.
thereby providing time to one reactor to complete

its fill phase before switching to another unit.
33
IPIECA
Figure 20 Sequencing batch reactor system
Membrane bioreactor technology

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are suspendedgrowth biological treatment processes and are a
variation on the activated sludge system. A
membrane bioreactor combines a membrane
Figure 21 Membrane bioreactor system
34
process (e.g. microfiltration) with a suspended

growth bioreactor, thereby eliminating the
secondary clarification used in an activated sludge
system. A schematic of a typical MBR system is
shown in Figure 21.
The micro-filtration membranes are located in a steel
Figure 22 Aerated lagoon system
membrane tank and are subjected to a low-pressure

vacuum that pulls water through the membranes and
pumps the filtered water to the next process step
while retaining solids in the reactor. Compressed air
is injected into the system to scour the exterior of the
membranes. The MBR system usually operates at
higher MLSS concentrations (15,00020,000 mg/l)
than conventional activated sludge systems. MBR
systems are not used in refining due to increased
cost compared to conventional activated sludge,
however for activated sludge systems that require
Aerated lagoons usually require much larger plot
tertiary filtration, MBR is more cost competitive, since
areas than other treatment methods, and are
it is equivalent to having an effluent filter. For
commonly employed where land area is not
applications where further tertiary treatment such as
expensive or when discharge standards are not
reverse osmosis will be used, MBR can be attractive
overly restrictive. With the current stringent effluent
versus the alternative option of using media filtration
standards faced by the petroleum industry, aerated
and microfiltration after biological treatment (see
lagoons are used less frequently for wastewater
page 47).
treatment in refineries because they cannot

produce comparable effluent quality to activated
Aerated lagoons
In this type of system, wastewater is treated in an
earthen in-ground basin that is used for both the
aeration and the settling functions. Air is injected
through mechanical or diffused aeration units into
the lagoon to promote biological treatment. There
are usually two types of aerated lagoons:
Aerobic lagoons: In aerobic lagoons, dissolved
oxygen is maintained throughout the basins. For
this type of a system, settling can take place at a
part of the pond separated by baffles or
separate sludge settling and disposal facilities
might be required. The settled sludge is removed
periodically.
Aerobic-anaerobic/facultative lagoons: In these
types of lagoons, oxygen is maintained in the
upper layer of the liquid in the basin and the rest
of the lagoon remains anaerobic. A portion of
suspended solids moves to the downstream part
of the lagoon where settling takes place and
undergoes anaerobic decomposition.
Figure 22 shows a typical lagoon treatment system.
sludge systems.
Attached growth processes

In attached growth processes, microorganisms are
attached to an inert packing material instead of being
suspended in the liquid as in suspended growth
processes. The packing used in the attached growth
processes can be rocks, gravel, plastic material and
various synthetic materials. The wastewater comes in
contact with the microorganisms that are attached to
the media and are converted to more biomass and
CO2. The film of biomass on the media keeps
growing and ultimately sloughs off when it reaches
a certain thickness.
Trickling filters
The trickling filter system consists of:
a bed of packing material such as rock or plastic
packing on which the wastewater is distributed
continuously;
an underdrain system to carry the treated water
to other units; and
distributors for distributing the influent
wastewater to the surface of the filter bed.
35
IPIECA
Figure 23 Trickling filters
A slime layer (microorganisms) develops on the
material is usually of polystyrene or polyvinyl
packing in the trickling filter. As wastewater passes
chloride. These plastic discs are submerged in
through the trickling filter bed, the microorganisms
wastewater and are continuously rotated by the
biodegrade the organics to be removed from the
horizontal shaft through an air driven motor.
liquid flowing over the packing. A final clarifier,
Microorganisms adhere to the plastic surface and
located immediately downstream of the filter, serves
form a layer of biological mass (slime) on the discs.
to remove microbial growths that periodically slough
Over time, excess sludge is sloughed off the discs.
off from the filter media.

As the discs are rotating, the attached
A schematic of a typical trickling filter system is
microorganisms react with the contaminants in the
shown in Figure 23.
wastewater and convert them to biomass and CO2.
Rotating biological contactor

The basic element of the rotating biological
contactor (RBC) consists of closely spaced plastic
discs mounted on a horizontal shaft. The disc
A schematic of a typical RBC system is shown in
Figure 24 Rotating biological contactor system
36
Figure 24.
Nitrification, or nitrification with denitrification

In some cases when a refinery site is required to
meet tight ammonia or nitrogen limits, the biological
treatment system could include either a nitrification
(by the use of nitrifying bacteria) or a combined
nitrification/denitrification step. The level of nitrogen
compounds in refinery wastewater can be controlled
by avoiding discharges of spent amines and proper
removal of ammonia in the sour water stripper. If
the concentration of nitrogen compounds is still too
high to meet regulatory limits, then nitrification or
nitrification/denitrification should be included in the
biological treatment system.
Nitrification is the term used to describe the two-step

biological process in which ammonia (NH4-N) is
oxidized to nitrite (NO2-N) and the nitrite is
oxidized to nitrate (NO3-N). In denitrification, the
nitrate is reduced to nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and
nitrogen gas. Figure 25 shows the two
arrangements that are used in these systems.
In the first system, the aeration/nitrification tank is
followed by an anoxic tank where denitrification
occurs. A food source (typically methanol) is added
to this tank to aid in the process. In the second
system, the anoxic tank is followed by the
aeration/nitrification tank. In this case, the food
source for the anoxic tank is the BOD in the
Figure 25 Nitrification/denitrification systems
37
IPIECA
incoming wastewater. A portion of the treated
media. Dual media filters comprise a layer of
wastewater from the aeration tank is recycled so that
anthracite over sand. The larger particles are
the reduction of nitrates in the effluent can occur.
trapped by the anthracite and the finer solids are

held up in the sand. Periodically, the forward flow is
stopped and the filter is backwashed to remove the
Tertiary treatment
trapped solids. Figure 26 shows the typical

configuration of a sand filtration system.
Tertiary treatment needs to be considered if the

refinery needs to meet stringent limits for different
contaminants such as:
total suspended solids (TSS);
chemical oxygen demand (COD);
dissolved and suspended metals; and
trace organics such polyaromatic hydrocarbons

(PAHs)
Activated carbon
Removal of dissolved organic constituents from the
refinery wastewater can be done by carbon
adsorption. In general, activated carbon is usually
applied as an effluent polishing step (removal of
residual organics) for wastewater that has been
processed in a biological treatment system. This is
because the carbon usage will be prohibitively high
Sand filtration
Effluent from the biological treatment system
typically contains about 25 to 80 mg/l of
suspended solids depending on the operating
conditions in the clarifier. Refineries at many
locations need to meet limits as low as 15 mg/l on
a consistent basis. In these instances, one option is
for the effluent from the clarifier to be filtered using
sand filters. This process involves passing the
wastewater through a filter bed comprised of a filter
Figure 26 Sand filtration
38
if it applied to the refinery wastewater.

In this process the wastewater is passed though a
bed of granular activated carbon (GAC) where the
organics in the wastewater are adsorbed by the
carbon. The carbon bed is periodically regenerated
to remove the organics from the exhausted carbon.
Figure 27 shows the configuration of a typical
carbon adsorption system.
Figure 27 Activated carbon system
Chemical oxidation
The following oxidation reagents are generally used
Chemical oxidation in a refinery is generally used
in a chemical oxidation system:
for reduction of residual COD, non-biodegradable
hydrogen peroxide;
compounds, and trace organic compounds. It is not
chlorine dioxide; and
common to have a chemical oxidation system in a
ozone.
refinery wastewater treatment plant; details of this

approach are included in this document for
Chemical oxidation can be enhanced in some cases
information purposes.
by the use of UV light as a catalyst, but this needs to

be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Figure 28 shows the configuration of a typical
chemical oxidation system.
Figure 28 Chemical oxidation system
39
IPIECA
The feed is sent to the oxidation reactor via a feed
The API sludge is sent to a decanter tank where
tank which provides any surge capacity that is
water and free oil are removed. If the refinery has a
required. Chemical oxidant (hydrogen peroxide,
coker unit, the sludge from the tank can be sent to
ozone or chlorine dioxide) is prepared fresh to
this unit if possible. An alternative is to send it to a
maintain reactivity and fed to the reactor. The
centrifuge for further separation. The centrate from
effluent from the reactor is then sent to another
a centrifuge is sent to refinery slops and the sludge
vessel for adjustment of pH if necessary.
sent to off-site disposal.
DGF/IGF float and sludge
Treatment of sludges
In a refinery wastewater treatment plant, sludge is
typically produced from the following unit operations:
API separatorbottom sludge;
dissolved gas flotation (DGF) and induced gas

flotation (IGF) systemsfloat and bottom sludge;
biological treatmentwaste biological sludge
The float from the DGF/IAF typically contains

emulsions the chemicals (flocculants and
coagulants) that are added to aid the separation
and therefore require to be handled separately.
Figure 30 (opposite) shows the typical treatment of
DGF/IGF float.
The float is sent to a tank where emulsion-breaker
chemicals are added (if necessary) and the fluid is
API separatorbottom sludge

The need for treatment of sludge that is removed
from the bottom of the API separator depends on
refinery configuration as well as local environmental
regulations. This sludge, after further dewatering
and de-oiling, can be sent either to off-site disposal
or to the coker unit in the refinery (if the refinery
has such a process unit). A typical sludge treatment
system is shown in Figure 29.
Figure 29 API sludge treatment system
40
recirculated and heated up to break the emulsions.

The material in the tank is then sent to disposal.
The sludge from the DGF is normally sent to the
same system that treats the API sludge (shown in
Figure 29).
Figure 30 DGF/IGF float treatment
Waste biological sludge

Excess sludge that is produced in a biological
system can be disposed of (after pretreatment) in
several ways, depending on local regulations,
including:
land farming;
land fills; and
off-site disposal.
Typical pretreatment of biological sludge is shown in

Figure 31.
The biological sludge is sent to a thickener, which

could be a gravity or DAF thickener, where water is
separated from the sludge and returned to WWT,
The sludge from the Thickener is sent to an aerobic
digester where air is added to digest the sludge.
This step is essentially a volume reduction step to
lessen the load on the downstream filter. In some
cases the sludge from the Thickener is sent to the
Filter. Several types of filters such as belt filter
presses, plate and frame filters etc can be used. The
type of filter that is most appropriate will need to be
evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Figure 31 Biological sludge treatment
41
IPIECA

With the shortage of fresh water in most areas of
the world, and the requirements for relatively high
process water:
desalter makeup;
coker quench water;
volumes of raw water in a refinery, the pressure to

recycle and/or reuse of water is increasing. In
coker cutting water;

flare seal drum;
evaluating recycle/reuse issues in a refinery, the

potential uses of water should be evaluated along
FCC scrubbers;
hydrotreaters;
with recycle/reuse of refinery wastewater as well

as external sources of wastewater (such as
boiler feedwater makeup;
municipalities).
cooling water makeup;
potable water;
The water uses in the refinery can be broken
fire water; and
down as follows:
utility water.
Table 10 Contaminant specification for reuse water

Water category
Desalter makeup
Coker quench water
Contaminant specification
Potential source of re-use water
Sulphide: < 10 mg/l
Stripped sour water
Ammonia: < 50 mg/l
Vacuum tower overhead
Total dissolved solids (TDS): < 200 mg/l
Crude tower overhead
Total suspended solids: < 100 mg/l
Stripped sour water
Biological solids: none

H2S and other odorous compounds: none
Coke cutting water
Total suspended solids: < 100 mg/l
Stripped sour water
Biological solids: none

H2S and other odorous compounds: none
(quality required is highly
dependent on the
pressure of steam being
produced)
Conductivity: < 1 S/cm

Hardness: < 0.3 mg/l
Treated and upgraded

refinery wastewater
Chlorides: < 0.05 mg/l

Sulphates: < 0.05 mg/l
Total silica: < 0.01 mg/l
Sodium: < 0.05 mg/l
Dissolved oxygen: < 0.007 mg/l
Cooling tower makeup
Conductivity: < 6,000 S/cm

Alkalinity: < 3,000 mg/l
Chlorides: < 1,500 mg/l
Suspended solids: < 150 mg/l
42
Treated and upgraded

refinery wastewater
From the list of water uses on the previous page, the

process water, boiler feedwater makeup and cooling
tower makeup represent the largest users and are
ideal candidates for use of recycled water. Table 10
shows the typical specification of contaminant levels
required for these waters.
These values should be used for general
informational purposes only. A detailed evaluation
of the refinery specific application in question is
required before initiating any water re-use.
Re-use of non-contaminated
stormwater
Many opportunities exist for reuse of noncontaminated stormwater. Some examples of
applications for collected non-contaminated
stormwater runoff are described below.
Fire water
Fire drills and actual fire events at refineries require
large volumes of fire water. During emergencies,
firewater is usually drawn from an on-site storage
and supplemented by an outside source such as
rivers, lakes etc. Non-contaminated stormwater can
be directed to the fire pond in the refinery for
storage and reused in the fire water system as
required.
Utility water
Refinery utility water systems use non-potable, noncontaminated water. Utility water may be used for
any purpose in the refinery where water is needed,
such as paved area wash-down and wash water for
spill clean-ups. Stormwater may be collected and
pumped from storage into the plant utility water
supply header. As with any water reuse system, the
source of the water, its quality and potential
contaminants must be monitored and deemed
acceptable for all designated uses.

Demineralization systems are required for boiler
makeup water to avoid boiler scaling. Noncontaminated stormwater can be used as makeup to
the BFW makeup system. It will need pretreatment
for solids removal and additional treatment to
remove hardness prior to use as BFW makeup.
Technologies for upgrade of refinery

wastewater
All the options available for upgrade of refinery
wastewater utilize one or more filtration processes
for treatment, including some membrane treatment
options. Membrane treatment technologies have
become increasingly popular (although they have
their limitations due to cost) in the water and
wastewater treatment industry over the past 20
Cooling tower makeup water

Cooling tower systems require a constant source of
water for makeup due to losses from drift,
evaporation and blowdown. Non-contaminated
stormwater may be used for this purpose, though it
will require some treatment to remove particulates
before entering the cooling tower system. Water
softening may also be required if calcium and
magnesium is picked up from the impoundment
used to store the non-contaminated stormwater.
years, and offer significant advantages over more

traditional treatment options. Figure 32 shows the
size of contaminants that can be removed through
different types of filtration, and provides sizes for
some common particles for reference.
The following options are considered potentially
suitable for treating refinery effluent:
basic media/sand filtration;
microfiltration or ultrafiltration;
microfiltration or ultrafiltration, with reverse

osmosis;
43
IPIECA
(Reproduced courtesy of Osmonics)
Figure 32 Contaminant removal for different types of filtration processes
microfiltration or ultrafiltration with nanofiltration;
costs increase but they are not yet commonplace.
and
The technologies described below are options that
ion exchange softening.
should be considered by refineries based on

regulatory and cost pressures in a local region.
The suitability of application of a particular

technology is often site-specific and should be
evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The following is
a set of suggested criteria for evaluation:
Basic media/sand filtration

Sand or media filtration can be used to remove the
extent of prior application in refineries for
gross solids and suspended solids found in the
wastewater reuse;
refinery effluent. Media filtration systems work by
ability to consistently achieve the required
pushing the water through a vessel packed with a
product water specification;
filter media such as sand or anthracite. Anionic or
operability and flexibility;
cationic polymers are often added to the feedwater
capital and operating cost; and
to improve particle removal efficiency. This type of
plot space requirements.
treatment generally removes contaminant particles
greater than approx 5 m in size.

The following sections discuss the various
technologies mentioned above.
Media filtration systems need to be backwashed

periodically through reversal of the flow through the
44
It should be noted that none of these technologies
system. Backwashes are initiated when the
are widely practiced in refineries. The refining
differential pressure across the filter reaches a pre-
industry is starting to look at these options as water
determined set point. Backwashing produces an
Figure 33 Media filtration
intermittent wastewater stream averaging
Figure 32, there is a significant overlap between
approximately 5% of the feed flow. Media filtration
these processes in terms of the size of particles they
systems have a relatively small footprint and energy
will remove. Microfiltration can remove particles
demand. Filter backwashes can be sent back to the
greater than approximately 0.1 m while
head of the refinery WWTP.
ultrafiltration will remove particles down to

approximately 0.01 m.
Figure 33 shows a process schematic of a typical

media filtration system.
Both MF and UF are pressure driven membrane

separation processes that separate particulate
The key disadvantage for this type of system is that
matter from soluble components in the carrier fluid
it will offer no removal of dissolved inorganic
(water). Using a hollow fibre outside in membrane
compounds (salts) or metals, and thus media
configuration is the most suitable, as this tends to
filtration alone will not improve the quality of the
give fewer problems with suspended solids fouling,
refinery effluent sufficiently for it to be used as either
and also tends to be more robust in its ability to
cooling tower make-up water or feedwater to the
deal with feedwater quality aberrations.
demineralized water production system.

Most materials that are used in MF and UF
Media filtration as a standalone technology is not
membrane manufacture are polymeric and are
considered to be a viable option for the treatment of
naturally hydrophobic. Common materials used
the refinery effluent, either for reuse as BFW
include: polysulphone, polyethersulphone,
makeup or cooling tower make-up, but could be
polypropylene or polyvinylidene fluoride. Because of
used for other purposes such as utility water or
the hydrophobic nature of the membrane materials,
emergency fire water.
they are highly susceptible to organic fouling by oil

and grease. For this reason most MF and UF
manufacturers have a typical specification of

<1 mg/l oil and grease. In order to remove
Microfiltration (MF) or ultrafiltration (UF), like media
dissolved and emulsified oil and grease, granular
filtration, can be used to remove fine suspended
activated carbon (GAC) pretreatment is typically
solids found in the refinery effluent. As shown in
used.
45
IPIECA
Figure 34 Microfiltration or ultrafiltration
New generation ceramic microfiltration membranes
site if infrastructure is installed, or more commonly
are under development by a number of membrane
taken off-site for regeneration by the GAC vendor.
manufacturers, and have been developed

specifically for dealing with oily wastewaters, such
The feed tank serves to balance flows to filtration
as refinery effluents, and produced water from
system when the GAC, or MF/ UF units need to
exploration and production activities. Figure 34
backwash. A biocide such as chlorine or
shows a system using microfiltration or ultrafiltration
chloramines is also added to prevent biological
with GAC pretreatment.
growth in the system and biofouling of the

membranes.
The first unit operation employed is a sand filter or

media filter, for the removal of gross solids, such as
The water is then forced through a set of
sand and plastic debris which may have passed
membranes either by pressure or vacuum (pressure,
through the refinery WWTP, or blown into the open
in this schematic), leaving particulates and colloidal
treatment ponds, and the majority of the biological
matter on the feed side of the membrane. The
solids which have escaped the treatment ponds. Any
transmembrane pressure (TMP) will slowly increase
oil bound to solids will also be removed in this step,
over time as the solids accumulate, requiring the
thus lowering the oil and grease content of the
system to be backwashed to remove the fouling
feedwater and reducing the loading on the next
layer. Periodic cleaning using disinfectants such as
process. Note that while the addition of polymers or
sodium hypochlorite, or acid and caustic, are
flocculants will improve the performance of the filter,
required to remove accumulated contaminants not
this is not recommended, as they can rapidly foul
removed by backwashing.
membrane surfaces.
Microfiltration and ultrafiltration will both produce a
46
The next step is granular activated carbon for the
very clear filtrate with <1 mg/L suspended solids.
removal of oil, grease and trace amounts of
However, like media filtration, both processes will
hydrocarbons still present in the effluent, which
not be able to achieve any significant reduction in
could potentially foul or damage the MF/UF
the presence of dissolved salts and metals present in
membranes. Spent GAC will need to be periodically
the refinery effluent, in order to make the water
regenerated, at a rate dependent on the oil content
suitable for supplementing the cooling tower or
of the refinery effluent. This can be performed on-
demineralized water supplies to either refinery.
Microfiltration, as a stand alone technology, is not
documented where as little as 0.001 mg/l of a
considered to be a viable option for the treatment of
hydrocarbon in the feedwater has irreversibly fouled
refinery effluent for either BFW makeup or cooling
RO systems. This further emphasizes the need for
tower make-up, but the treated effluent can be used
effective oil and grease removal pretreatment.
for other purposes such as utility water or

emergency fire water.
Figure 35 is a schematic flow diagram for a suitable

reverse osmosis system, incorporating GAC

reverse osmosis
pretreatment for oil removal.

Like the previous MF/UF options, the first process is
Unlike the media filtration and the MF/UF options,
gross solids removal using a sand or media filter to
reverse osmosis (RO) can remove the dissolved salts
reduce the loading and prevent blocking of the
and metals found in the refinery effluent, potentially
GAC column. The next step in the process is GAC
producing a product water suitable for reuse at the
removal of dissolved organics, oil and grease. Spent
refinery. Reverse osmosis membranes have an
GAC will need to be periodically regenerated either
extremely fine pore size of less than 0.001 m
on-site or off-site.
which is smaller than most contaminants found in

water. RO membranes will selectively allow the
Following the GAC, biocide addition and a small
passage of pure water with the exclusion of salts at
balance tank are shown. The most common biocide
99% rejection rates or higher.
used in these applications is monochloramine, as

chloramines are less likely to oxidize the RO
Due to the small pore size and polyamide
membranes than free chlorine. Due to the very fine
membrane composition, RO membranes are even
pore size of RO membranes, they are susceptible to
more susceptible to fouling by oil and hydrocarbons
blockage/plugging by suspended solids, which can
than MF or UF membranes. Most membrane
include broken GAC granules and fines shed from
manufacturers recommend <0.1 mg/l oil and
the GAC pretreatment. Therefore, microfiltration or
grease in the RO feedwater, and cases have been
ultrafiltration pretreatment should be installed
Figure 35 Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis
47
IPIECA
upstream of the reverse osmosis system. The use of
NF membranes offered by the major manufacturers
this technology will allow the reuse of the refinery
are somewhat tailored to different applications and
effluent for all purposes in the refinery; note
are available with varying levels of efficiency in
however that discharge of ultrafiltration reject water
removal of salts and/or organics, depending on the
can become a significant issue because inorganic
application. One major application of NF is water
contaminants such as metals will increase in
softening before further treatment such as reverse
concentration and may not meet concentration-
osmosis or ion exchange.
based discharge limits, leading to additional

treatment costs.
A process description is not included for this option

as it is essentially the same as for reverse osmosis,

nanofiltration
Nanofiltration (NF) is a moderate pressure
membrane process commonly used for removal of
however a schematic flow diagram is given in

Figure 36.
Ion exchange
select dissolved organic compounds and water
Ion exchange softening is another viable option for
softening. Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis
the removal of the dissolved inorganic compounds
systems share many common features in terms of
found in the refinery effluent. Unlike the previous
their design and operation. Standard NF membrane
options discussed, ion exchange is not strictly a
elements share the same physical dimensions as
filtration process, although some filtration will occur
standard RO membrane elements and are loaded
as the feedwater passes through the packed resin
into standard RO membrane pressure housings. For
bed. Some suspended solids loading on the resins
these reasons, nanofiltration systems look much the
may be acceptable, depending on the system
same as reverse osmosis systems. The key difference
design.
between the two processes is that salt rejection of

reverse osmosis systems is much higher, and
Ion exchange works by passing the feedwater
consequently so are the operating pressures.
through a packed bed of anion or cation exchange
Nanofiltration can be thought of as essentially like a
resins which exchange the undesirable ions present
low pressure, low stringency RO system. NF
in the feedwater, such as calcium and magnesium,
generally has a low rejection for metals.
with more desirable ions such as the hydronium
Figure 36 Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, with nanofiltration
48
Figure 37 Ion exchange treatment
(H+). Ion exchange is a reversible process and the
organics in the feedwater. Organics removal should
ion exchanger can be regenerated or loaded with
be considered since dissolved organic material in
desirable ions by washing with an excess of these
the refinery effluent can rapidly and irreversibly foul
ions. Eventually the resins need to be replaced due
ion exchange resins.
to gradual breakdown and irreversible fouling.

Post organics removal, the wastewater is then fed
Ion exchange could be used to treat the refinery
through a multiple bed ion exchange process. A
effluent to a suitable standard for supplementing the
recovery rate of around 70% should be achievable
raw feedwater to the refinery using weak acid and
and depends on the feedwater TDS, which makes
base resins, or alternately stronger resins could be
this option comparable to the RO and NF options in
used to treat the effluent all the way to boiler
this regard. Ion exchange systems produce an
feedwater quality. Complete treatment to boiler
intermittent waste stream (that requires disposal)
feedwater quality is probably the most cost-effective
which require neutralization, and are normally very
option if this technology were to be employed.
high in salts and contaminants.
A schematic flow diagram of an ion exchange
Various studies have been conducted in the past to
system suitable for treating the refinery effluent is
determine whether ion exchange alone or reverse
shown in Figure 37.
osmosis followed by ion exchange is the most costeffective option for high purity water production.
Treated refinery effluent enters the sand filters for
While the cost-effectiveness of these options tends to
removal of large particulates. Again, a small
vary with plant size, feedwater TDS and the relative
balance tank is required to balance flows to the ion
costs of power and chemicals, the so called salinity
exchange system when the strainers need to
break even point for a moderate-sized system is
backwash.
approximately 350400 mg/l (as CaCO3

equivalent). Reverse osmosis systems tend to be
The organics scavenger is a selective media such as
more cost-effective over this threshold value, due to
GAC, or similar, which can remove dissolved
their relative insensitivity with feedwater TDS. At

49
IPIECA
higher TDS values, regeneration chemicals for ion
Reuse of municipal wastewater
exchange are prohibitively expensive. Ion exchange

is more cost-effective for lower salinities.
In this section municipal wastewater refers to water

from external municipalities and not municipal
Technology summaryrefinery
wastewater reuse
wastewater that is generated within the refinery.

Municipal wastewater generally consists of :
Table 11 summarizes the technologies available for

refinery wastewater reuse.
washing and clothes washing; and
As mentioned before, none of these technologies

are widely practiced in refineries. The refining
industry is starting to look at these options as water
costs increase, but they are not yet commonplace.
The technologies summarized below are options that
should be considered by refineries based on
regulatory and cost pressures in a local region.
grey water, e.g. water from bathing, hand

black water, e.g. water from kitchen sinks and
toilets.
Typically these waters, together with stormwater, are

treated in a common wastewater treatment plant by
the local municipality which consists of primary
treatment (sand and grit removal) followed by
biological treatment. The effluent from these plants
can be upgraded such that they could be used in
the refinery for either cooling tower makeup or BFW
Table 11 Refinery wastewater reusesummary

Technology
50
Suitability
Media filtration
Removes suspended solids but not dissolved solids. Treated water not
suitable for cooling water or boiler feedwater makeup but can be
used for other uses such as utility water or fire water.
Ultrafiltration or microfiltration
Removes suspended solids (to a greater extent than media filtration)

but not dissolved solids. Treated water not suitable for cooling water
or boiler feedwater makeup but can be used for other uses such as
utility water or fire water.
Ultrafiltration or microfiltration, with

reverse osmosis
Removes both suspended and dissolved solids. Treated water

suitable for all uses in the refinery including cooling tower and
boiler feedwater makeup
Ultrafiltration or microfiltration, with

nanofiltration

boiler feedwater makeup. Salt rejection is lower than reverse
osmosis but this system can be operated at a lower pressure than
RO systems
Ion exchange

boiler feedwater makeup. Usually applicable when the dissolved
solids concentration is less than 400 mg/l.
Figure 38 Media filtration
makeup. The following considerations need to be
The technologies available for upgrading municipal
taken into account when considering the reuse of
wastewater are similar to those discussed in the
municipal wastewater:
sections above, except that some pretreatment and
Cost of conveyance of the wastewater from the
post treatment is typically required. The technologies
municipal wastewater treatment plant to the
that can be used to upgrade municipal wastewater
refinery (includes piping and other
for reuse in the refinery are discussed below. To
infrastructure).
avoid repetition, detailed descriptions of each
Capital and operating costs for pumping the
technology are not included, but any differences
wastewater to the refinery.
between those discussed in the sections above are
The quality of the available effluent: this will
highlighted.
dictate the level of treatment required to enable

reuse in the refinery.
The discharge of the effluents (such as
Media filtration
backwashes and RO reject) from the system is
Figure 38 shows a block flow diagram of a media
also an important consideration. The ideal
filtration system The system is the same as that
scenario would be to be able to return these
described on pages 4445, except that the
streams back to the municipal wastewater
municipal effluent is first sent to basket strainers to
treatment plant, but this might not be feasible
remove any large solids prior to being sent to the
due to the capital and operating costs involved. If
feed tank, and then sent to the media filters. The
they need to be discharged by the refinery then
effluent from the media filters will not be suitable for
the potential impacts of the contaminants
use as BFW makeup or cooling tower makeup but
contained in them could be problematic.
can be used for other purposes such as utility water

or emergency fire water.
The situation sometimes arises where groups of

industries are clustered close to a municipal
treatment plant. When this happens, joint
approacheswhere municipalities are willing to
Figure 39 shows a block flow diagram of a
make investments to improve the water quality by
microfiltration/ultrafiltration system. The system is
installing reverse osmosis streams, manage the
the same as that described on pages 4546, except
reject themselves and send a much better quality
that the municipal effluent is first sent to basket
water stream to the industrial usersmake better
strainers to remove any large solids prior to being
economic sense than each industrial user installing
sent to the feed tank, and then sent to the media
its own RO stream.
filters. The water from the media filter is then sent to

51
IPIECA
Figure 39 Microfiltration/ultrafiltration
the UF/MF modules for filtration of finer particles.
RO permeate through acid or caustic addition is
The effluent from the MF/UF will not be suitable for
feasible, but tends to be difficult to control due to
us as BFW makeup or cooling tower makeup, but
the limited concentration of bicarbonate to buffer
can be used for other purposes such as utility water
the pH. For these reasons, a degasser tower is the
or emergency fire water.
most commonly employed method of pH correction

downstream of the RO. A forced draft degasifier

reverse osmosis
Figure 40 shows a block flow diagram of this
works by contacting forced air coming in with the

RO permeate in a packed column to strip the
dissolved CO2 from the RO permeate. A vacuum
degasifier would also be suitable.
system. The system is similar to the one described

on page 47, with the addition of the reverse
The dissolved CO2 concentration is also dependent
osmosis system downstream of the MF/UF filters.
on pH. Typical operating pH for a reverse osmosis
Due to the fact that CO2 (present as a dissolved gas
system treating municipal effluent is in the range of
in the wastewater) is a small uncharged molecule,
6.06.5. Operating at a slightly acidic pH helps to
dissolved CO2 tends to be poorly rejected by RO
control inorganic scale formation, lower chemical
membranes, and ends up in the permeate stream.
dosing and maximize recovery. It also tends to
This has the effect of lowering the pH of the RO
convert dissolved bicarbonate to dissolved carbon
permeate and raising the pH of the RO reject from
dioxide gas.
that of the initial feedwater. pH adjustment of the
Figure 40 Microfiltration/ultrafiltration plus reverse osmosis
52
Figure 41 Microfiltration/ultrafiltration plus nanofiltration

nanofiltration
from the reverse osmosis/nanofiltration reject. At
Figure 41 shows a block flow diagram of this system.
conditions, it might be problematic to dispose of this
some refineries, depending on the location and local
The system above is the same as that shown on page
stream off-site. The reasons for this could include:
48, except that the reverse osmosis membranes are
high cost due to the fees that might be imposed

in discharging a concentrated brine stream;
replaced by nanofiltration membranes.
only option being discharge to a fresh water

stream (due to location of refinery); regulatory
Ion exchange
authorities usually do not allow discharges of
The system for ion exchange is the same as that
brine into fresh water streams;
shown on pages 4849 and is not repeated here.
aquatic toxicity restrictions on the discharge

stream (the concentration of contaminants,
primarily metals, in the brine could prevent the
passing of a toxicity test); and
concentration of metals in the brine could exceed

concentration-based discharge limits.
The recycling/reuse options and technologies

discussed in the sections above result in the need to
In such cases zero liquid discharge (ZLD) needs to
discharge a concentrated brine stream that comes
be considered. In a ZLD system the brine that is
Figure 42 ZLD block flow diagram
53
IPIECA
usually discharged from a wastewater reuse system

is further treated to extract more water and separate
the dissolved solids that are left as solid crystals for
disposal. The water that is removed is sent back to
the refinery for recycle.
Figure 42 shows a block flow diagram of a typical
ZLD system.
It should be noted that application of ZLD in
refineries is very rare, in part because the energy
requirements are very high. The possible use of this
approach needs to be evaluated on a site-specific
basis. It is included in this document for information
purposes.
54
References
Rase, Howard F., and Barrow, M.H., Project Engineering for Process Plants, John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Beychok, Milton R., Aqueous Wastes from Petroleum and Petrochemical Plants, John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Evans, Frank L. Jr., Equipment Design Handbook for Refineries and Chemical Plants, Volumes 1 and 2,
Gulf Publishing
Metcalf and Eddy, Wastewater Engineering Treatment and Reuse, 4th Edition, McGraw Hill
American Petroleum Institute, A Guide to Leak Detection for Above-Ground Storage Tanks, Publication 334,
First Edition, March 1996
American Petroleum Institute, Welded Tanks for Oil Storage, Downstream Segment, API Standard 650,
Eleventh Edition June 2007, Addendum 1 June 2008.
US DOE, Energy and Environmental Profile of the U.S. Petroleum Refining Industry, December 1998.
Environmental Protection Agency, Profile of the Petroleum Industry, EPA/310-R-95-013, 1995.
55
IPIECA is the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues. It
develops, shares and promotes good practices and knowledge to help the industry improve its
environmental and social performance; and is the industrys principal channel of communication
with the United Nations.
Through its member led working groups and executive leadership, IPIECA brings together the
collective expertise of oil and gas companies and associations. Its unique position within the
industry enables its members to respond effectively to key environmental and social issues.
Association members
Company members
BG Group
OMV
African Refiners Association (ARA)
BP
Petrobras
American Petroleum Institute (API)
Chevron
Petronas
Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP)
CNOOC
Petrotrin
ConocoPhillips
PTT EP
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

(CAPP)
Eni
Qatargas
ExxonMobil
RasGas
Hess
Repsol YPF
Hunt Oil
Saudi Aramco
KPC
Shell
Mrsk
SNH
Marathon
StatoilHydro
Nexen
Talisman
NOC Libya
Total
Occidental
Woodside Energy
Canadian Petroleum Products Institute (CPPI)

The Oil Companies European Association for
Environment, Health and Safety in Refining
and Distribution (CONCAWE)
European Petroleum Industry Association
(EUROPIA)
International Association of Oil & Gas
Producers (OGP)
Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ)
Regional Association of Oil and Natural Gas
Companies in Latin America and the
Caribbean (ARPEL)
South African Petroleum Industry Association
(SAPIA)
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Petroleum refining

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Refinery water overview

Overall refinery water balance

Water leaving the refinery

Raw water treatment:

Secondary oil/water separation

Tank bottom draws

Steam generator blowdown

Condensate blowdownbest practices

Suspended growth processes

Attached growth processes

API separator bottom sludge

DGF/IGF float and sludge

Waste biological sludge

Recycle and reuse issues

Raw water treatmentbest practices

Re-use of non-contaminated stormwater

Miscellaneous dischargesbest practices

Cooling tower makeup water

Boiler feedwater makeup

Raw water treatment

Spent/unused wastewater samples

Discharges from laboratory sinks

Stormwater and sewerage

Technologies for upgrade of refinery wastewater

Basic media/sand filtration

Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, with

Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, with

Technology summaryrefinery wastewater reuse

Reuse of municipal wastewater

Desalter effluent treatment

Cooling tower blowdownbest practices

Process wastewater pretreatment

First stage: separation

PETROLEUM REFINING WATER/WASTEWATER USE AND MANAGEMENT

Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, plus

Microfiltration or ultrafiltration, plus

Typical refinery wastewater treatment

Desalter oil/water separation

Desalter effluent stripper

Segregated wastewater treatment

Zero liquid discharge

Dissolved air flotation

Induced air flotation (IAF) unit

Activated sludge system

The PACT (Powdered Activated

Sequencing batch reactor system

Membrane bioreactor system

Aerated lagoon system

Rotating biological contractor system

Activated carbon system

Typical sources of water

Contaminants in raw water

Sources of wash water

Desalter effluent contaminants

Sour water producers

Stripped sour water contaminants

Crude tank bottom sediment and

Intermediate product stream

Chemical oxidation system

Cooling tower blowdowncontaminants

API sludge treatment system

Contaminant specification for reuse water